


LIARs

by StanTheManWithTheBigRedPlan



Series: LIARs [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: AU, Assassins, F/M, Grimm Faunus, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Spies, black ops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-11
Updated: 2016-05-20
Packaged: 2018-06-07 21:28:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 15
Words: 37,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6825019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StanTheManWithTheBigRedPlan/pseuds/StanTheManWithTheBigRedPlan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are people in the shadows. Those you are not supposed to know about. Assassins, Spies, Hackers, and Information Brokers who deal the fate of the world in back rooms and alleyways. The most prolific of these, is Team LIAR. Luthor Temno, Grimm Faunus assassin, Isaac Prasino, Blindfolded daredevil, Annabeth Beryl, Hot headed Sniper, Robyn Hochrote, the Violence Prone leader. When Remnant comes under threat, they work to save the day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The First Job

Chapter 1: The First Job

Location: Team LIAR’s base of operations, Nokian Hotel, Vale, 26th floor, room 2647

Date: 3/12/3024

Time: 20:00 

“Okay, our client has given our first op.” Robyn explained as she laid the file on the table before her team. Robyn Hochrote was a slightly attractive girl in her late teens, she was the leader of this band of rogues called Team LIAR. Her weapon was two curved blades that turn into a bow and arrow she called it _The Scarlet Marion._

“What’s the job.” Isaac called from across the room. The blind gunman by the name of  Isaac Prásino walked over to the file and opened it. He wasn’t really blind, but on mission he would blindfold himself. His weapons were two Welrod silenced pistols that turn into nightsticks, called _The Silent Assassins._

“Glad you asked.” Robyn responded. “Many people have been trying to frame the Schnee Dust Company for crimes against the Faunus, but nothing was ever solid or the witnesses ‘disappeared’.”

“So you want us to break in and provide the evidence?” Luther stepped from the shadows. Luther Temno, the shapeshifter, was a hard man to catch. Though he did stand at 6’5” he could take the form of any person and his metamorphic solid trench coat, _The Cloak and Dagger._ He could walk into a building, eliminate a target, and walk right out the front door. 

“Sounds easy enough.” Annabeth Beryl called from the other side of the room cleaning her _Ultimate Ratio,_ a lance/20 x 138 mm anti-tank rifle. Her short green hair starkly contrasted with her blue armor.

“Luther, you will infiltrate the compound as her.” Robyn pulled a series of photos of a young white haired girl in a white dress.

“Who’s she?” He asked as he began to study the photo for the transformation. 

“Her name is Weiss Schnee. Her father owns the company.” Robyn explained. “She’s currently enrolled at Beacon academy in team RWBY. Thus this puts her in range to blame her for the op. Enter the compound as her and let Isaac in from the base of the structure here.” She pointed at the base of the large building.  

Luther picked up the rest of the file and began studying. Annabeth suddenly spoke, “So what about extraction?”

“The facility is built on top of a dam. Luther, Isaac your going to have to jump off of it.” Robyn pointed at a map of schematics. 

“A good old SilverEye jump.” Annabeth referencing the now 20 year old spy movie.

“Annabeth, you’ll be provide sniper cover for their exfiltration. Got it?”

“Roger, Ma’am.” She shouted throwing a mock salute. 

* * *

 

Location: Schnee Dust Company Vale Mine

Date: 4/13/3024

Time: 20:30

Luther hid in the bushes near the top of the dam and began to speak into the radio. “Hagsfiend here. I’m near the access point. Beginning Operation: Ice Castle.” With that his body shifted into his Weiss disguise. His coat shifted into her sword which he put into the sheath at his belt.

He walked out onto the road and approached a guard having a smoke. Mimicking Weiss’s speech and manners, “Get back to work, you dolt. We don’t pay you to lounge around!”

The Guard lurched up and dropped his cigarette. “Sorry, Ms. Schnee. Forgive me, Ms. Schnee.” 

“You better.” He berated the guard.

“Ms. Schnee, shouldn’t you be back at Beacon?” The guard asked.

“I’ll have you know that my father wants me to be here to inspect the place. Now take me down to the lobby.” He ordered. 

“Right away, Ms. Schnee.” He declared as he led Luther into an elevator. 

* * *

 

Location: Schnee Dust Company Vale Mine, West side elevator

Date: 4/13/2024

Time: 20:35

“You know, members of the family don’t usually do the inspections.” The guard spoke as he failed to see the other passenger climb to the top hatch of the lift and climb into it. “Ms. Schnee?” He said as Luther reached down and broke his neck. 

He then pulled the body onto the top of the car and began the process of removing the uniform and putting it into a satchel. He then pressed the call button of his radio. “Hagsfiend to Sherwood. Package secure. Also, how do you do all of this stuff in heels?” 

“Training, Hagsfiend, Training.” Annabeth interrupted.

* * *

 

Location: Schnee Dust Company Vale Mine, Lobby

Date: 4/13/3024

Time 20:40

Luther reached the ground floor and saw Isaac waiting in the lobby. As he passed by he dropped the satchel and continued onto the desk. He took out his scroll and took a few selfies of the lobby. He couldn’t be too obvious about what he was doing. 

Isaac moved to a restroom and changed into his guard’s uniform. When he walked back into the lobby and joined Luther at the desk. “Ms. Schnee, what a surprise.” The secretary stated. “Would you like me to message your father about your visit?”

“No thank you. I just need a skeleton key for the facility.” Luther requested.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t give it even to you.”

“That doesn’t look good on your report. Jenkins, what do you think?”

“No, not at all.” Isaac responded realizing he was Jenkins.

“Fine, here you go.” The secretary gave in and handed over a key card to the two of them.  

* * *

 

Location: Schnee Dust Company Vale Mine, Research and Development

Date: 4/23/3024

Time: 20:42

Luther and Isaac walked down a blue carpeted corridor with labs and offices flanking both of them. Luther taking a few stops to selfie along the way capturing images of cruel tests made by the scientist on Faunus prisoners. 

“The White Fang are going to love this.” Isaac whispered to Luther.

“Just keep walking and act like you belong here.” Luther ordered Isaac.

They reached the end of the hallway and entered an elevator. “You know, if I didn’t know that you were a six foot tall guy in there, I would have started hitting on you.” Isaac turned to Luther.

“Shut up. Intel says that Weiss is a lesbian anyway.” He says hitting but to the floor containing the holding cells.

* * *

 

Location: Schnee Dust Company Vale Mine, Holding Cells

Date: 4/13/3024

Time: 21:00

“Just look at this.” Isaac said as the left earshot of the patrolling guards. As insults were hurled in the direction of them by the prisoners. “Shouldn’t we do something about this?”

“It’s not part of the mission. It gives deniability to the Schnee’s if all the prisoners were to escape.” Luther explained as he took more selfies in front of the cells filled barely fed Faunus’ inside.

“I think this is enough to incriminate.” Luther said looking over the hundreds of photos they had taken.

“Let’s get out of here before they realize what’s up.” Isaac said while heading to the elevator.

“THIS IS A CODE RED. WE HAVE A POTENTIAL WHITE FANG ATTACK. BEWARE OF A MAN WEARING A GUARD UNIFORM TRAVELING WITH WEISS SCHNEE.” Someone called over the speaker. “HE IS NOT WHO HE CLAIMS. HE IS GOING TO KIPNAP HER IN THE NAME OF THE WHITE FANG. LETHAL FORCE IS AUTHORIZED.”

They ran together into the elevator and hit the top floor button. “I thought we were in actual trouble.” Luther said getting out of his disguise.

Isaac shed his uniform, put on his blindfold, and grabbed his pistols. “Here take this.” Isaac tossed Luther a parachute. “Your going to need it.” 

* * *

 

Location: Schnee Dust Company Vale Mine, Road top

Date: 4/13/3024

Time: 21:25

They ran out of the elevator and grabbed their weapons. Luther placed his hand into his jacket and pulled out an old assault rifle as they leaped into cover. “Sinon, where’s our extraction?” Isaac called into the radio.

“I’m a minute out. All you have to do is jump off the nearest available place into the lake.” Annabeth explained over the sound of a boat. 

As they ran for a port, a helicopter flew over them and opened fire. As it swooped by for another run, a loud shot rang out and three shells took out the major systems of the vehicle. “Sinon, I thought we agreed, no casualties.” Robyn berated Annabeth.

“Look, that chopper would have taken them out. And besides at that height, the crew would’ve survived.” Annabeth explained as the neared the opening. 

“We’re running late. Move!” Luther shouted at Isaac.

Luthor was the first to jump and opened his parachute as soon as his feet left the ground. Isaac wasn’t so lucky.

“Put your hands in the air!” A group of seven guards surrounded him and pointed their rifles. Isaac raised both hands.

“Hand over your parachute.” The leader ordered.

Isaac removed the parachute and looked at the guards.

“Hand it over!” He shouted.

“If you insist.” Isaac reached for the emergency rip cord and pulled distracting the guards with the open parachute giving him long enough time to jump.

* * *

 

Location: Lake Schnee

Date: 3/13/14

Time: 21:30

Isaac hit the side of the dam, hard. Not hard enough to break anything put when he hit the water, he almost drowned. As he began to lose consciousness, he felt two strong hands pull him out of the water. 

“Nice trick. Going over without a parachute. Trying to show me up?” Luther asked as Annabeth pulled him onto a gurney.

Isaac spat out some water, “You said we were running late.”

Annabeth smacked Isaac, “Don’t you ever do that again!” 

“Do you have the pictures?” Robyn asked Luthor.

“Here.” He tossed the scroll to his boss. She opened it and flipped through the photos.

“Selfies?” She asked in a overbearing tone.

“If you’re a teenage girl and you want to take a picture of something. It better be a selfie.” Luther explained to no avail. Robyn let out a sign and began the process of sending the photos to every major news network in Remnant.

* * *

 

Location: Team RWBY Dorm room

Date: 4/14/3024

Time 7:04

One thing Weiss had yet to get used to about her new relationship with her team leader, Ruby, was the fact that, in bed, she was quite clingy. This got worse when she tried to reach her scroll that was pinging with a message.

“Ruby, dear, please get off me.” Weiss struggled to no avail to separate herself from her partner. “Yang, get your sister off me!” She screamed across the room to the brawler who was too busy cuddling her lover, Blake.

“Ugh.” She groaned as she tried to reach over Ruby and grabbed her scroll.

It was a message from her father. It was short, but it conveyed a important message that shouldn’t be ignored. “Return to Atlas. NOW.”

“Shit.” Weiss shouted. “Guys wake up!” 

“Not now Weiss, its Saturday.” Yang threw a pillow in her general direction and accidentally hit their dog, Zwei.

“It’s urgent. My dad needs me back in Atlas.” Weiss panicked and sped around the room packing her bags. 

Ruby groaned and finally woke up and saw her girlfriend speeding across the room almost as fast as Professor Oobleck. Yang grabbed her scroll and opened it up into a news feed. “Holy shit.” She exclaimed.

“What!?” Weiss shouted at her. 

“I thought you two were at the movies last night.” Yang stated.

“We were.” Ruby answered. 

“Then what’s this?” Yang showed here screen filled with an image of Weiss making a duck face in front of a cell containing dozens of Faunus prisoners.


	2. Aftermath

Chapter 2: Aftermath

Location: Schnee Dust Company Vale Mine, front entrance

Date: 4/14/3024

Time: 10:26

“You did us a great favor, Ms. Hochrote, payment is being wired to your account as we speak.” The employer explained. 

“They say Gunther Schnee is leaving his hospital and calling a massive board meeting.” Robyn spoke to the owl Faunus next to her. His name was Ryan Reddington, he was the one who payed for the op and he himself payed in full. They both looked over the massive crowd of protesters that had gathered as soon as the photos were shown across Vale.

“I just fear what the White Fang are going to do now.” Robyn turned to the Faunus.

“Oh, my contacts say they are now preparing for full on war.” He explained.

“So what do you want us to do?” Ryan then passed her a file. “Whose this?”

“His name is Roman Torchwick. He’s the arms dealer for the White Fang.” Reddington explain as Vale police arrived at the scene to quell the crowd. “He’s one of the only humans in their inner circle.”

“So what do you want us to do?”

“There is a shipment from Atlas heading to Vacuo carrying the latest in modern military tech.” Ryan pulled out a map. “The White fang is putting up blockades here to steal the tech.”

“So you want us to steal it before hand?” Robyn asked.

“Exactly.” 

“When is it?” 

“Three days from now. Here’s you passports, and credentials.” The man said passing Robyn the thick manilla folder. “And as usual, the money will be transferred to your secure account.”

* * *

 

Location: Remnant International Airline flight LUX 2783, departing from Goodwitch International in Vale to MacArthur Memorial in Atlas.

Date: 4/14/3024

Time: 12:00

“So do we have any leads on who took those pictures?” Winter Schnee asked her sister Weiss on the plane that was taking them both back to Atlas.

“No.” Weiss responded.

“I think I do.” Ruby cut in placing an old picture on the table in front of them. It showed Ruby fight a large man in a shirt and vest holding an exact replica of Crescent Rose. “His name was Luthor. Everyone called him the Man Without a Face.”

“How did you meet him?” Winter asked her.

“Three years ago, Signal and the school in Vacuo, whose name I can’t remember had a tournament.” Ruby explained. “It was the finals, it was me and a Vacuo student named Luthor.”

Ruby began to look a bit in discomfort talking about it which Weiss calmed by placing her arm around her partner.

“He had this ability. To become anyone and mimic their weapons. My safest bet would be the person taking the pictures was Luthor.”

“So why was dad in the hospital?” Weiss asked her sister after the explanation ended.

“Well this happened in a board meeting three months ago.” She pulled out her scroll and began to play a sound file.

“All right, I’ve been thinking.” Gunther Schnee’s voice played over the speakers. “When life gives you lemons. Don’t make lemonade! Make life take the lemons back! I don’t want your damn lemons! What am I supposed to do with these? Demand to see life’s manager. Make life rue the day it thought it could give Gunther Schnee lemons! Do you know who I am? I’m the guy whose going to burn your house down! With the lemons. I’m going to get my engineers to invent a combustible lemon that burns your house down!” 

“We called the hospital after that outburst.” Winter explained. “They kept him under lock and key for the past three months.”

“Why are they letting him out then?” Blake asked sitting down from getting lunch with Yang.

“He probably bribed them.” Yang spoke out when she took a seat next to Blake. 

“Please buckle your seat belts and return the tray to its up right position. We will be landing in a few short moments.” The announcer spoke over the intercom.

* * *

 

Location: MacArthur International Airport, Atlas

Date: 4/14/3024

Time: 12:25

“Let’s get out of here. I don’t like being in disguise for more than two hours.” Luthor explained to the team as they got off the plane. The airport was a clean silver finish that was patrolled by many guards. Luther had the disguise of a middle aged man in a flower print Vacuo shirt. 

“There’s a bathroom over there.” Isaac pointed out. Luther then rushed into the bathroom and after 5 minutes returned in his normal form. 

“Thanks.” He said adjusting his tie. They were suddenly interrupted by a guard. 

“I’m sorry do you have authorization to carry weapons here?” The guard asked.

Robyn pulled out their Huntsman license and flashed it. “Official Huntsman business, move aside.” The guard did as told and allowed them to walk out onto the street filled with cabs.

“What happened to the Scarlet Marion?” Annabeth asked looking at the new cross bow attached to Robyn’s back. 

“It was too slow and inaccurate.” She said removing the weapon from its holster. She removed the string and separated the two halves in a pair of ice axes. “May I introduce the Nottingham’s Revenge.”

“Nice.” Isaac said grabbing a hold of it, while Luthor tried to get his coat to recreate it.

“Oh shit.” Luther said taking the form of a cab driver and hiding behind Annabeth.

“What?” Annabeth asked him turning around and almost waking him with her lance tied to her back.

“3 o’clock. 5’2”, female, human, red hood, holding hands with Weiss Schnee.” He explained quickly.

“Ruby Rose? What’s the deal with her?” Robyn asked.

“Its a long story.” Luthor explained getting into one of the cabs.

* * *

 

Location: The Local Super 9 motel, room 32

Date: 3/14/3024

Time: 13:00

“So what’s with you and Beacon’s golden girl, Ruby?” Robyn interrogated Luthor when they were finished unpacking in their hotel room.

“As you know, I’m from Vacuo.” Luthor explained. “Well Signal and Vacuo always had a sort of rivalry. Things came to a head around three years ago when a fight broke out in a club.”

“What caused it?” Annabeth asked.

“I don’t think anyone knows to this day.” Luthor scratched the back of his head. “It may have been started about girl, as usual. In order to evade the fight, I escaped to the roof.”

* * *

 

Location: Hunterville All ages Night Club, Vacuo, roof

Date: 2/23/3021

Time: 20:00

Luthor climbed up unto the roof and sat by one of the ventilation ducts to rest his beating head. As if the music inside wasn’t loud enough, there was now a fight going on. 

“Nice night for trying to escape a crowd.” A small female voice said to him from above. Above him was a girl about a foot shorter than him in a red cape. “Also, isn’t it too late for sunglasses?”

“It’s for Glaucoma.” He lied. “And who are you?”

“Rose. Ruby Rose.” She replied.

“Luthor Temno.” He responded shaking her hand. “I don’t recognize you.”

“Well I’m from Vale, and we’re here on a trip for the competition.” She explained sitting down next to him.

“So what can an adorable little girl like you do?” He asked. She got up and reached behind herself towards her lower back and pulled out a long red device. It extended into a sniper rifle and then expanded again into a scythe.

“Well if you that’s so cool, check this out.” He grabbed onto his coat and it transformed into FIM-92 Stinger S.A.M. launcher. “Or.” The rocket launcher collapsed into his jacket again and he pulled out a M712 Mauser C96. 

“Oh my gosh, you use dust clothes?” Ruby explained grabbing the gun from his hands.

“Be careful, that’s an automatic.” He said grabbing the weapon back. “This goes really well with my semblance.” He explained transforming into a near perfect copy of Ruby.

“Hey, I hear that there is a training ground nearby. Wanna fight?” Ruby asked trying as hard as she could to imitate her sister.

“You’re on.”

* * *

 

Location: Super 9 Motel, Atlas

Date: 3/14/3024

Time: 13:12

“And so I kicked her ass.” He explained as he finished the story.

“Really?” Robyn asked in disbelief.

“She got her revenge later that month in the tournament.” He said going to the window and looking out. 

“If she’s here with Weiss, that could mean something bigs about to go down with the SDC.” Isaac suggested.

“The shipment.” Annabeth exclaimed.

“Exactly.” Robyn pointed. “Their arming them and their other branches for full on war.”


	3. Gunpowder and Roses

Chapter 3: Gunpowder and Roses

Location: Schnee Manor, Atlas

Date: 3/14/3024

Time: 13:20

The limousine pulled in front of the massive mansion, unloading its passengers into the drive way to be met by the butler. “May I take you and your guests bags Miss Schnee?” The man asked.

“No thanks, Gerard. We’ve got this.” Weiss said pushing away Gerard.

“Oh and Welcome home Miss Schnee.” He said bowing.

“Who’s that?” Yang inquired turning to Weiss.

“That’s Gerard. He’s the head of the staff. He was more of a father to me than dad was.” She explained as they walked through the massive mansion. Designed by her grandfather after the success of his company, the compound was shaped like a massive snowflake, the sigil of the House of Schnee. 

“Your father is waiting for you in the drawing room.” Gerard called after them.

“Tell him I’ll be there in a second.” Weiss shouted leading her team to the wing of the house in which her room was. 

After about five minutes of walking around the round castle, they arrived at a set of two oaken doors. “Yang, Blake, you guys are going to be staying in the left room. It used to be Winter’s room until she moved out.” Weiss explained opening the door to a large room with a king sized bed in the center.

“Alright Weiss!” Yang shouted before charging into the room and leaping onto the bed.

“Don’t break anything!” Weiss shouted after her.

“Don’t worry I’ll keep her under control.” Blake explained calmly walking into the room. As the Faunus closed the door behind her, Weiss suddenly felt Ruby’s arms wrap around her waist. 

“So,” She started whispering, “I’m staying with you tonight.” 

“Not out here, Dolt.” Weiss whispered pushing Ruby away from her. 

“Okay.” She spoke letting go. She pushed open the door and jumped onto Weiss’ bed. “So this is where the cold Ice Queen grew up?”

“I thought we agreed to stop calling me that.” Weiss complained as she lay down on the bed and began to stretch out. Suddenly Weiss’ scroll beeped with the arrival of another message. 

“I know you have arrived. I expected you to come immediately.” Her father wrote.

“Just give us a second to adjust and get washed up.” She answered back.

“Who is us?” He responded after a few seconds.

“I brought the entire team from Beacon.” She explained before putting her scroll down and leaving to take a shower. 

“Remote for the TV is in the nightstand… I think.” She called out to Ruby still laying there. Ruby reached for the remote and turned it to the military history channel. She read that they were doing a marathon about the different weapons in history today and she didn’t want to miss any of it.

* * *

 

Location: Atlas Train Yards

Date: 3/14/3024

Time: 13:45

Robyn and Isaac leapt over the guard fence into the train yards in which their target sat immobile. They vaulted over bars and piles of crates until they were in view of the train. 

“Remember, non-lethal.” Robyn whispered to her partner as she loaded the electro shock bolts into the crossbow. Isaac reached into his pocket and withdrew some knock out rounds for his pistols. 

“Wait, I sense something.” Isaac said lowering his head to the ground raising his hand.

“What?”

“The train is not military. It doesn’t have the wavelength to be armored. Their using a civilian model.” He explained. He had used his semblance of inner sonar to analyze the contents of the train.

“Shit.” Robyn whispered. “We need a closer look.” She ordered as they crept out of cover to reach the vehicle which waited a hundred yards away.

“Let’s check this car.” Isaac silently signaled Robyn as they approached a car towards the middle guarded by three guards. Isaac raised himself from cover drawing both of his pistols and took aim and took out two of the guards while Robyn knocked out the third one without alerting the others.

They grabbed the limp forms and brought them up into the car with them as they couldn’t have any patrolling guards find them. “Okay let’s get to work.” Robyn spoke normally. The interior was the same as all traditional Remnant vehicles, gun metal grey mixed a with a deep blue with gold highlights. Isaac lay down on the floor and pressed his ear to it. 

“Check the seats.” He explained. Robyn pulled out a metal detector and swept the each of the seats. The detector lit up like a Christmas tree at every seat. 

Isaac felt the backs of the seats. “Rifles, Pistols, Shotguns, Huntsmen grade multipurpose tech.” He saw through his fingers.

“Red wasn’t kidding when he said they were preparing for war.” Robyn said looking around.

Isaac went to the back of the car and felt the door. “There are forms already in here. They’re not organic.” He slid open the door and revealed another car filled with passengers dressed for a holiday. The interior was the same as the first. Robyn went and lifted up the heads of the passengers and revealed them to be robots. 

“Knights.” She explained the obvious.

“Pull the memory core in the back of the head. We may need it analyzed.” Isaac figured. Robyn reached behind the first one’s hat, opened a small panel, and removed a small microchip.

“Let’s get out of here. This place gives me the creeps.” Robyn said moving towards the door. 

* * *

 

Location: Schnee manor, Drawing Room

Date: 3/14/3024

Time: 14:00

Team RWBY walked through the heavy oaken door leading to the drawing room on the other side of the Schnee palace. Inside sat a lit fire in the hearth with Gunther Schnee sitting in a large chair enjoying a glass of Chianti. The Schnee family did in fact have its own vineyards, but many wine tasters felt that the vintage produced was some of the worst drinks they had ever had.

“Hello Father.” Weiss began sitting down in the seat next to his with Ruby sitting on an arm rest, Yang leaning on the back, and Blake gripping the back. 

“Good afternoon, my dear. It seems you have brought some friends.” He spoke indifferently as he took another sip of his wine. “Who are you all?”

“I’m Ruby Rose.” Ruby explained sticking out her hand only for it to be stared at by the man. She then retracted the offer of a shake.

“My name’s Yang Xiao Long. I’m her sister!” Yang exclaimed pointing at Ruby.

“You two hardly look alike.” Gunther spoke coldly.

“We’re only half sisters.” Ruby explained.

“Hello, I’m Blake Belladonna.” Blake finally spoke only to be met with a cold stare by the sinister man sitting before them. 

“I assume you lead by example of Schnee perfection?” He asked staring daggers into his daughter. Yang snickered at this. “What’s so funny?”

“I’m actually the leader.” Ruby spoke up. This was met with a roar of laughter from the CEO of the SDC.

“Now back to business.” Gunther spoke composing himself. “What was the deal with these photos?” He demanded throwing hard copies of the dam photos across the coffee table.

“I didn’t take them. I was out on a date that night.” Weiss explained. 

“Okay get the boy in here so I can ask him a few questions.” 

“Um.” 

“She was taking me out that night for a movie.” Ruby explained. This was met by Gunther spitting his wine into the fire causing it to burn more brightly.

Coughing he finally spoke, “I thought I raised you to have higher standards than that, but an alibi is an alibi.” 

Weiss grabbed Ruby’s hand at the insult. “Father…”

“Go to your room!” He shouted. “I need to discuss this with your mother.” 

“Father, I…” Weiss stammered.

“I don’t want to see you until dinner! And put a flee collar on your pet. I don’t want her stinking up the place.” Realizing who he was talking about, Yang began to load her shotguns only to be stopped by a warm hand on her shoulder. Silently Yang and Blake left the room and went back to their lodgings.

“Father, that was uncalled for.” Weiss explained sternly.

“Do I look like someone who cares?” He said getting up and leaving leaving Weiss and Ruby alone in the dark room.

* * *

 

Location: Atlas Robotics, front entrance

Date: 3/15/3024

Time: 6:00

George Whitenam was a standard programmer of the AI in Atlas mechs. He was a brain surgeon of sorts. The use of his creations made him a target of many assassination attempts and other attacks. He grew suddenly anxious when he noticed a black SUV parked in his offices parking lot that wasn’t supposed to be there. 

The door opened and a young woman in a red long coat with a hood pulled over her head stepped out. “George Whitenam?” She asked. 

“y-y-y-Yes?” He stammered. As he finished another man stepped out of the van dressed in a green leather jacket and pulled out a silver cylindrical pistol. 

“You’re coming with us.” The female ordered and the man shoved him into the car. “Luthor start the engines and drive.”

“What do you want?” The man shouted almost urinating in his pants.

“There was car in a civilian passenger train that is going to leave tomorrow heading to Vacuo carrying no civilians, but Knights you programmed.” Another woman in blue armor said handing him the chip Isaac had pulled from the robot. 

“We don’t ask our customers what they are going to do with them!” 

“We’re not here to ask you who bought them.” Isaac explained. “We need to know they’ve been programmed to do.” 

“I-i-i-I don’t know!” He exclaimed.

“He’s lying.” Isaac said to Robyn.

“Okay… please don’t hurt me! It’s for hunting Faunus.” He put his hands up to his head. “The buyer… he wants to restart the war.”

Robyn smiled, “We thank you for your cooperation.” Isaac opened the door into a field. “If you speak to anyone about what has happened. Let’s just say to prepare for unforeseen consequences.” Annabeth then picked him up by the collar and threw him out of the car.

* * *

 

Location: Schnee Manor, Weiss’ bedroom

Date: 3/15/3024

Time: 4:10

Weiss woke for the tenth time that night and looked down. Ruby was still there, hanging on to her as if if she let go, the whole world would crumble. As usual, she checked her pulse for the millionth time to make sure she was still alive and her father hadn’t sent one of the servants in to cut her throat. 

When she then remembered how dinner went, she held the younger huntress tighter. Everything had gone to shit then.

Yang was adamant that she had personally scrubbed Blake for fleas, which pissed off her father in the thought of two women, one of them Faunus, doing things in the bathroom together. Yang then almost cut the servant’s throat when he brought Blake her side of tuna salad. Something about perpetuating stereotypes. Winter, her mother, and her father had all gotten into an argument about her choice of lovers. Winter and mom decided that defending her was more important than the threat of her father rage. 

“Do you really want to love me now?” She whispered into her partners ear. Ruby shifted and pressed her face into the crook of Weiss’ neck. “Do you really want to be a part of this family?” 

Suddenly a familiar smell daughter her attention. The smell of gunpowder and roses. Ruby’s smell. “It’s decided… I’ll be a part of your family. Weiss Rose… sounds a lot better than Ruby Schnee.” She kissed the top of the huntresses head taking in the smell once more.

“I love you.” 

“I love you too.” Ruby whispered as if she had been awake the entire time.

 


	4. Excommunication

Chapter 4: Excommunication

Location: Super 9 motel, Atlas

Date: 3/16/3024

Time: 6:30

Luthor finished putting the last touches on his gloves embroidery. They were clean white with his personal sigil which could be described as an upside-down peace sign with the legs extended. He just stitched in a message into both. King Hoole Is In Glaumora Now on the right, and Speak With The Soulless on the left. He placed the gloves on his hands to hide what they were. Only his mother and siblings knew, and he would like to keep it that way. 

He took out a comb and ran it through his black hair shaved at the sides, but regular length on top like a military cut. He buttoned up his vest, straitened his tie, put on his sunglasses,  lifted the _Cloak and Dagger_ over his shoulder, and left the bathroom to join his team.  

“Okay, we have to board the train as normal civilians.” Robyn said loading the dust revolver the carried multiple arrow heads to the front of her crossbow. “When the hijacking begins, get to the knight car first to eliminate the threat they pose.”

“Roger.” Annabeth said attaching the muzzle brake to the end of her cannon and loading a magazine into the port on top of the weapon. 

“Annabeth, I need you on top of the train within 500 yards of the checkpoint to eliminate as many hostiles as possible.”

“What would you have me do?” Luther asked testing his coat’s various forms including an AKS-74u Carbine, a Mark XIX Desert Eagle, a M134 Minigun, a M1887 shotgun, an M60 Light Machine Gun, and a M712 Mauser C96.

“You’ll follow me to take out the raiding party.” Robyn explained mounting her weapon over shoulder.

“What’s my job?” Isaac said putting on his blindfold.

“Hostages. If there are any, rescue them.” Robyn ordered, short, sweet, and to the point. They finished getting ready and left the room. They went down a flight of stairs, entered the office, and payed the cashier. 

* * *

 

Location: Schnee Dust Company offices, Atlas

Date: 3/16/3024

Time: 8:00

Blake and Yang had a little ritual when they were both nervous. Blake would cuddle against Yang’s chest while Yang scratched her behind the ears. It kept Blake calm and relaxed while it stopped Yang from punching a hole through the wall. The reason behind their nervousness was the fact that Weiss and Ruby were in a board meeting with the companies leaders and everyone in the large hallway were giving them dirty looks.

“Don’t worry, kitty cat, nothing bad will happen as long as I’m around to implode the skulls of anyone who steps in our way.” Yang explained as she sped up her scratching.

“That’s reassuring.” Blake murmured sarcastically. She could hear the discussion going on in the room behind her with her hearing. 

“Okay, who do you think took the picture?” One of the board members asked Weiss.

“I don’t know his real name. He told me once that the last name he uses was taken from his tutor.” Ruby explained. “He calls himself Luthor Temno.”

“I recognize the name.” A business man from Vacuo joined in. “There was a Vacuan royal named Lady Isabella Hellsing. She had eight children, one named Luthor.” 

“So we could have the heir of a massive household running off and declaring war on our company?” Gunther asked. 

“We have evidence to believe he does not work alone.” Another board member who ranked high in the Atlas military began pulling out file photos of five people. “Three years ago, five huntsmen in training met in Vacuo. Their names were Luthor Temno, Robyn Hochrote, Isaac Prásino, Annabeth Beryl, and Ruby Rose over there.” He said pointing at Ruby. 

“Are you implying that she had something to do with this?” Weiss yelled defending her girlfriend.

“Is it anymore obvious?” Her father explained calmly. “She co-conspired with a group of Faunus to get close to you and kill us all!”

“Listen there are many problems with that theory.” Weiss began. “One, Ruby didn’t know who I was the first time we met. Two, judging by the images presented, there is no proof that the huntsmen in question are Faunus. Three, are you expecting me to believe that five people decided three years ago that they were going after a person, who if your theory was correct, would not have met the triggerman without certain circumstances occurring three years after the initial planning meeting.”

“She’s seems reasonable.” Another board member spoke up.

“That’s because its that damn Faunus who’s shagging that girl’s sister.” Gunther got up and pointed towards the hallway. “She’s corrupted you. Made you blind to the true enemy!”

“Maybe she opened my eyes to the true enemy. YOU!” Weiss shouted getting up out of her seat and slamming her hands on the table. 

“Um, Weiss?” Ruby tugged on the older huntress’ bolero jacket seeing the CEO and Patriarch of the Schnee family seethe in rage.

“Don’t you dare, EVER, speak like that to me again!” He screamed. 

“Why shouldn’t I?” Weiss screamed back. “You’ve been a complete ass my entire life! I’m glad those pictures were taken. It may show the world who you truly are!” 

“GET OUT. THE ONLY WAY I WANT TO SEE YOUR STUPID DISFIGURED UGLY FACE BEFORE ME AGAIN IS WHEN THE FAUNUS BRING IT BACK TO ME ON A SPIKE!” Gunther screamed.

Weiss tore off her jacket emblazoned with her family sigil and threw it to the ground. She pulled out her Rapier and set the revolver to fire. She sent a Dust spark and made the jacket burn. She promptly turned on her heels, grabbed Ruby and left the room as the fire extinguishers activated to put out the fire.

“Weiss, what’s wrong?” Yang asked as the teen in question slammed open the doors into the hallway disturbing Blake’s slumber.

“We need to get as far away from here as possible.” Weiss began. “Gunther may have robots or mercenaries heading our way to silence us.” 

“What happened?” Blake asked.

“We need to go!” Weiss shouted storming out into the cool late winter early spring air. Ruby followed swiftly and noticed her partner shivering in the cold as her jacket was gone and nothing protecting her bare shoulders and arms from the wind. She removed her cape and placed it around Weiss’ shoulders to keep her warm.

“There’s a train heading to Vacuo leaving the station in twenty minutes.” A voice called out from behind them. They turned around to see an owl Faunus of average height dressed in a fine suit and a fedora.

“Who are you.” Blake asked.

“Just a concerned member of society who wants to help.” He explained in a voice that seemed that it always spoke lies and sarcasm. “Here are your tickets.” He said passing them a yellow envelop.

“Why should we trust you?” Yang asked.

“Because there is a SWAT team mobilizing to this area with standing orders to shoot.” He explained. “Board the train and try the Penne a la Vodka. It’s to die for.” 

They began to hear sirens and turned in the direction of the sound. When they turned back the man was gone. “It seems he’s trying to help us.” Ruby said starting to run in the direction of the train station with five blocks to go.

* * *

 

Location: The 8:30 train from Atlas to Vacuo

Date: 3/16/3024

Time: 9:00

“Annabeth. Were nearing the check point.” Robyn reminded Annabeth which she responded to getting up and grabbing the _Ultimate Ratio_ from the rack above the seats. Due to its weight, it took four porters to lift it and place it on the rack much to the complaining of Annabeth who was insistent on loading it herself. It remained in its lance form as she slid it into the shoulder holster that slung from her left side.

Annabeth went for the door at the back of the car which the team sat near and opened the door. She slid out and closed the door, she got onto the ladder and climbed onto the roof. She charged forward towards the front car. She leapt over three cars before getting to the front. She removed the lance from its sheath. 

Its shaft about five feet long and grip another two feet. She lay it on the ground with the point towards her and the hand guard expanded into the skis planting them selves into the floor. The point expanded into a shoulder rest which she then placed herself in it in a prone position. Holes opened in the grip and the back plate became the muzzle break, without it the gun would shatter her shoulder in the first shot.

She turned the crank on the side of the weapon to open the bolt and load the first 20mm round into the chamber. She pressed the button on the grip to close the chamber and aimed down the iron sights. 

Then she saw it. A twelve foot tall barricade erected on the tracks guarded by ten soldiers.  She saw a grouping of Dust generators lining one of the sides of the barricade and fired, the skis and the muzzle brake taking care of the recoil. Though her gun was horribly inaccurate due to the fact that the magazine prevented the iron sights from being on top of the gun, she used her semblance to guide the bullet into the tanks. 

“Boom.” She whispered as the barricade burst into flames and the train continued on unimpeded.

* * *

 

“Annabeth.” Isaac whispered as the train charged by a flaming wreckage. 

“What the hell was that?” Someone shouted in the car. Robyn and Isaac turn around to see a tall blond girl in short shorts and fingerless gloves looking like she was ready to punch someone. 

“Everyone please calm down.” Luther got up and flashed his Huntsmen license. “We’ve got this under control.”

“You!” A young girl shot up and pointed at Luthor.

“Ruby! Long time, no see. How’s Yang doing?” Luthor called back. Ruby responded by unsheathing Crescent Rose and aiming it at him. “One, that’s impractical in a space as close as this and two I’m still recovering from the last bullet you gave me!”

Suddenly the roar of VTOL engines roared across the car. “Annabeth, Anti-aircraft. NOW!” Robyn shouted into her radio. Annabeth responded by shooting down one of the two choppers that had surrounded the train. “Isaac, get to the roof. I need you to cover for Annabeth.”

“Blake, follow him!” Ruby ordered. Isaac ran to the door and climbed onto the roof. He reached into his thigh holsters and drew the duel Tonfas. He flipped the barrels into a position in which they were pointing behind him and he used his lose fingers to pull back to bolts to load the first two .22 rounds.

“Wait are you blind?” He heard a voice call out behind him, his sonar telling him that she was a cat Faunus. 

“I’m not blind.” Isaac responded without turning back.

“So what’s with the blindfold.” She asked.

“It’s more challenging.” He spoke charging into the crowd of White Fang who were surrounding Annabeth. He threw a punch with his left hand with the butt end of the weapon into the jaw of the first person he saw while firing the gun. The bolt pushing forward striking the mandible of one man while the bullet passed through the shoulder of a man behind Isaac. 

In the background he heard a Faunus who wasn’t a friendly pull back the slide of a pistol. The shot rang out causing Isaac to flip the Tonfa in his right hand to block the bullet. The friendly then fired her gun at the enemy, causing him to fall off the speeding train.

“What’s your name.” Isaac asked.

“Blake.” Blake responded.

“One of the things that we know for sure is that soon, there will be hostages.” He explained. “We need to save them.”

* * *

 

Luthor walked slowly into the car containing the robot soldiers. He took a deep breath and pulled an M1887 shotgun from his coat and flip-cocked it into firing mode. With the sound of it the robots glowed to life and rose from their seats, each reaching for a gun inside their chairs. 

“Intruder, identify yourself.” One announced in a monotone voice.

“Bio-scan complete. DNA unrecognizable.” Another called out as Luthor raised the shotgun one handed to that one’s head and blew it wide open. He flipped the gun again to expend the current shell and load the new shot. Seeing their downed ally they all cocked their guns and extended swords. 

Luthor replaced his shotgun for a fire poker and his M712. He jabbed the poker into the chest of the robot to his right while turning his gun sideways to allow the recoil of the 1000 round per minute machine pistol take out 6 others.

Suddenly, three robots were taken out by a 12 gauge flare shot from a tall blonde woman whose shirt could be described as being 3 sizes too small. “Yang Xiao Long. How’s Ruby holding up in this?” Luther asked.

“None of your business.” She responded while picking up a robot and breaking its back along her thigh.

Realizing that a smaller shotgun would work well in an environment as close as the car they were in, Luthor shifted his coat into the form of Yang’s shotgun gauntlets and used them to take out five more robots. The recoil threw his arms back each time. “How do you handle these things?” 

“Training, you asshole.” Yang spitted back.

“Eh. I’ve been called worse.” He said running to the car where he had seen Robyn run.

* * *

 

“They’re not here!” One Faunus terrorist shouted to his leader. The leader toward above all of them wearing a full face mask and without a hood. Robyn was standing towards the middle of the car waiting with her semblance at full blast concealing her from any and all prying eyes. She pulled back the bolt of her cross bow and loaded the first arrow shaft. The dust revolver towards the end attached an electrical head to the arrow and she took aim at the leader. 

The head she attached wasn’t enough to kill, just enough to leave him out of it for a while. As she prepared to pull the trigger, a voice cried out behind her. “Hey you! I was trying to get over the fact that my father abandoned me, and then you show up to make things worse!” Robyn turned around to find the source of the intrusion to find Weiss Schnee trying to give a group of armed men a stern talking to. 

“It’s a Schnee! Mr. Torchwick will be so proud when he sees what we grabbed!” One shouted.

“Shit.” Robyn cursed under her breath as she shot the leader and jumped out of her invisibility, pulling her crossbow apart into two Kusarigama, and burying the first sickle into the head of one of the White Fang. 

Robyn kicked the corpse away and used her other chain to wrap onto a pipe hanging from the ceiling and lifted her self up. She reverted her weapon back into its crossbow form and shot three more guards as Weiss began to square of with what was assumed to be the muscle. 

Weiss was taking her standard fencing posture and began parrying the strikes being throw by the massive bull Faunus with a Claymore sword. “I. AM. NOT. A. SCHNEE!” She shouted as she began moving on the offensive. 

As Weiss dove in for a fire stab, the giant blocked the stab by using his sword to redirect the beam upward. Robyn tried to dive out of the way, but was knocked out by the impact. The guard took advantage of one less problem to deal with and successfully knocked out the former Heiress and pull her by the hair into the next car. 

The next thing she knew, the door was kicked in with the rest of Team RWBY and LIAR rushing in. Luthor led the way carrying a silver plated .45 in center axis relock. She always thought that people who used that style looked a bit more badass. 

“Robyn!” Luthor exclaimed as he rushed to his leader.

“They’ve got Weiss.” Robyn said weakly. 

“Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.” Ruby started cursing. “Who knows what they’ll do to her! We need to save her!”

“Calm down. I have a plan.” Robyn explained. “Luthor, I need you to become Roman Torchwick and distract the guards. Isaac, I need you to get into the car from the other side and exfiltrate Weiss.”

“Roger, ma’am.” They both said.

* * *

 

“What have you fools done this time.” Luthor exclaimed walking into the car where Weiss was held. He was in a Roman Torchwick disguise and was walking in with the swagger of a man who liked to believe he has more power than he actually does. 

“Mr. Torchwick, we didn’t know you were going to join us.” One of the exclaimed lowering his head in salute. 

“Well you should have. How am I supposed to run this operation if everyone is left in the dark about what’s going on. I mean seriously!” Luthor explained waving Roman’s cane around. 

Silently the door in the back of the car opened and Isaac slipped in. He followed the sound a very nervous and scared heartbeat coming from a female near the middle of the car. All the other heartbeats were situated towards the front gathered around a rather faint heartbeat which he recognized as Luthor’s. Isaac never really questioned why Luthor’s heartbeat was so faint for a man of his build and physical activeness, he just assumed that he always wore some kind of body armor that made his organs a bit more quiet.

“Sh sh sh sh sh.” He whispered as he put his hand over Weiss’ mouth to keep her from screaming. “We’re here to get you out. Do not make a sound.” 

He picked up Weiss and went back to the door he entered from, sending a nod to Luthor to say he was leaving with the package and closed the door. 

“Well it looks like your hostage has escaped. I’m pretty sure Cinder won’t like that.” Luthor said as the guards turned around. He took this opportunity to slam the cane into the back of one guy’s skull knocking him out and them using the gun to shot three more with a flare. As the final one started to run to the back door, Luthor unleashed the grappling hook and dragged him by the neck back to him. “Your not getting away this time.” Luthor growled in his normal voice as he snapped the terrorists neck.

* * *

 

When Isaac entered the car with the others, he put down Weiss only to her her crushed in a hard hug and kiss from Ruby. “I thought you were gone for sure!” Ruby cried.

“I’m fine, dolt. I just got a bit roughed up.” Weiss explained pulling away from her girlfriends lips. “There’s no need to worry.”

“Special Forces division. Twenty strong. Converging on this car.” Isaac stated. As if on cue twenty armed men stormed the car and aimed their weapons around to check for enemies.

“Vacuan Spec-Ops division Sigma.” Their leader stated. “Are you all right?”

“We’re fine. Just a few cuts and bruises.” Annabeth explained lugging her rifle with a slight limp. They were all lead into a helicopter waiting of the roof of the now stopped train and loaded on with more wounded passengers. The craft lifted up and flew south to the desert city of Vacuo.

* * *

 

Location: Vacuo City Heliport

Date: 3/16/3024

Time: 14:00

The helicopter landed on the massive pad near the outskirts of town where paramedics and police converged on the carriers to provide medical attention and other needs to the wounded. 

After they had all been cleared, they were led outside where the met a man in a white suit similar to that of Luthor’s.

“Coryn.” Luthor stated dryly. Coryn Temno was the man who personally trained Luthor. He was a former Huntsman brought on to his mother’s staff to train her sons and daughters to become the finest warriors in all the world, but he always took the most interest in Luthor.

“Your mother sent me to pick up you and your squad. She wants you back at the manor.” Corn stated as he opened the door to a black limousine. 

“She’s still alive?” Luthor asked sarcastically as he entered the back of the vehicle.

“She’s only sixty-five. She’s still got more years in her left.” He said getting into the drivers seat and started the car. “It’s your brother Nathan who I worry about.”

 


	5. Children of Darkness

Chapter 5: The Children of Darkness

Location: Luthor’s limousine riding to Hellsing manor, Vacuo

Date: 3/16/3024

Time: 14:15

Isaac continued to rub Annabeth’s shoulder. Many men would hesitate to date women who were seven inches taller than them and could easily fire a 109 pound, seven foot long, anti-tank rifle while standing up, but that was the way of their life. She would always worry about him when he was sent off to infiltrate some terrorist base while she could only watch out from the other end of her gun. 

After the end of each mission, he would always give her a good shoulder rub to ease the pain only a 20x138mm anti-tank shell could give your shoulder. He was giving one to her now as Robyn looked on in disgust and Coryn and Luthor were speaking in hushed tones.

“Get a room you two.” Robyn finally stated out loud.

“I’m pretty sure Luthor’s mansion has many.” Annabeth berated her commander. “Yeah. Right there.” She said pointing her still armored finger at a point near the base of her shoulder blade. 

“We’re almost there.” Coryn called out from the drivers seat as a massive gothic castle rose into view. It’s design fit the mysterious and solitary Hellsing family. They held massive power over Vacuo, yet they very rarely left the massive compound. 

“Luthor, your mother and I want to speak to you privately.” Coryn explained to Luthor as they unloaded their bags from the car. Luthor hoisted his two bags over his shoulder and walked into the great hall.

The hall was massive, made of granite and lit by dust flames that gave the room a very disturbing red glow to it. At its rear, Lady Isabella Hellsing sat upon an throne made of the skeletons of various Grimm. The back was the bones of a Nevermore, the seat a Deathstalker, and the arm rests Beowolves.

The rest of the team was ushered out leaving Luthor in the hall with his mother and master. They were led to their rooms only for Robyn to break off and hide in the vents. She crawled over to the hall and peeked down into the massive chamber.

“Did you let see your eyes?” His mother asked.

“No.” He answered.

“Did they see you without your shirt.” Coryn asked.

“No.”

“What did you do with them around.” His mother asked trying to see if he gave out their families secrets.

“No, mother.” 

“Good.” Isabella stated slowly getting up from her seat. “Welcome home. I’m sure Lord Hochrote will feel much better when he learns that his daughter has returned.”

They left the hall and Robyn crawled into the vents over Luthor’s room and dropped down. She hid behind some curtains and activated her semblance to hide herself more. After about five minutes of waiting, Luthor pushed open the door and walked in.

After about five feet into the room, he stopped and sniffed the air. “Robyn, I know you are here.” He spoke. “I can smell your perfume.”

Robyn walked out from behind the curtain and revealed herself to Luthor. “I’m sorry. I over heard what happened in the hall and I was interested in what they were talking about.”

“As far as you are concerned, that conversation never happened.” Luthor said turning away from her.

“What do they mean about your eyes?” She asked.

“It is nothing of importance.” He dismissed her. 

“Yes it is.” She turned him around to face her. “I’m your leader. I need to know what is wrong.” 

Then she saw it. Luthor no longer had his glasses on revealing something she never knew a human could have. The same blood red, soulless eyes of the creatures they had sworn to fight. He was no human. He was a Faunus. A Grimm Faunus.

“What are you?”

* * *

 

Location: Vacuo City, The corner of West 23rd and Elm.

Date: 4/25/3014

Time: 20:30

Luthor had to get away.

All he wanted to do was go out and play with the other children, like a normal kid. He only had the chance to meet select children of other royals from around the world, but then he had to dress in thick clothing and wear uncomfortable glasses to hide what he is. This limited his circle of friends to his siblings and that one cute girl, Robyn, from Mistral. 

Yesterday was the day he would finally do it, he would seek out and go to where all the other children played. He dressed in the baggiest clothing he could pull from his dresser and jumped out the window. He had once heard a drop like that could break both the legs of others. But his body absorbed the impact so he only felt a small tinge of pain. 

He dodged a few guards and climbed the wall. When he was on the street he followed the paths of children who were dragging their parents into a nearby park.

When he arrived, he ran freely through the park and across the various play sets. He never felt happier. That’s when he noticed something wrong. There were no other kids around. He thought he had seen some on his way here, but now they were gone. He looked around and saw them. 

They were cowering in a corner, some pointing, some crying, some silent. They were about the same age as him yet they were smaller and weren’t covered in the same white and red plating that covered his arms, legs, and chest. They all screamed when they realized he was looking at them. 

They ran. Back to their families. Back to safety. He ran too, into the city to find a place to hide. And that’s how he got this street corner in front of Coryn’s Fine Clothing. He grabbed onto a pipe on the side of the building and hoisted himself onto the roof. He had had a lot of training on how to do this from his brothers. 

He reached a skylight that looked down into the small store filled with suits for distinguished buyers. He lifted up the lid and dropped down into the room. He could the flashlights of those who were hunting him beam in through the windows. 

“Who’s there?” A middle aged voice called from the back of the store. Out emerged a man carrying two golden revolvers which lacked barrels, but had karambits coming out of the grip. 

“My name is Luthor Hellsing, sir.” Luthor explained quickly getting up. “I mean you no harm.”

“I can see that.” The man called out. “What are you doing in here?”

“I’m hiding.”

“From whom?” 

As soon as he finished asking, the door was kicked in by a couple of men in ski masks. “Hand him over!” One shouted as they aimed their guns at Coryn.

“I’m sorry, I’m afraid I can’t do that.” He said calmly. “You see, I’m a huntsman. It’s my job to protect the innocent. So unless this child has built and detonated a 20 kiloton Dust bomb in the middle of an orphanage filled with with puppies and wide eyed orphans with Mistral accents. I’m afraid I’m going to have to punish you.” 

With that he raised his first gun and shot the man to my left’s shoulder causing him to drop the gun. Coryn then filled his next gun into a set of golden brass knuckle which he used to punch the second in the face so hard that his jaw broke under the pressure. 

“If you ever intend to harm this kid again. I will personally not hesitate to kill you.” Coryn spat as he walked away. He walked over to Luthor who was cowering in a corner. “Come on kid, let’s get you home.” 

“Can you teach me? How to do that?” Luthor asked his savior.

“There’s not much I can teach that you wouldn’t learn in Combat School.” He explained. “But first you need to know. A Huntsmen’s job is dangerous.”

“Teach me.”

“I’ll put in a good word for you at Sanctuary.” He explained as he brought Luthor to his car. 

* * *

 

Location: Luthor Temno’s bedroom, Hellsing Manor, Vacuo

Date: 3/16/3024

Time: 15:00

“So that’s why…” Robyn began.

“That’s why I never took off my glasses? That’s why I never sought medical attention when I was hit by that rocket?” He spoke each phrase getting louder. “That’s why my mother locked me away for eleven years trying to hide me from the people outside these walls?” He grabbed his head and screamed. He then punched the wall leading to his bathroom creating a decent sized hole through the plaster. 

“Luthor, calm down!” Robyn said trying to remove Luthor’s hand from the wall.

“Why should I?” He exclaimed. 

“Because of this…” She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a deep kiss. 

After about 10 seconds she finally pulled away. “Go.” Luthor whispered.

“Why?”

“I said go!” He shouted storming away into the hallway slamming the door in the process which broke the hinges.

* * *

 

Location: The Parking Garage on West 23rd street, Vacuo

Date: 3/16/3024

Time: 18:00

Isaac kept to the shadows and took cover by one of the cars. He felt that Annabeth would be worried over him sneaking out, but he had heard something going on in this lot that needed a silent touch. 

“Okay, how much of the stuff you got?” One gangster asked the dealer.

“50 kilos.” The dealer explained. Isaac sensed five more guards armed with submachine guns and shotguns. This was no ordinary drug deal, because he sensed no drugs, but massive canisters of Nitroglycerine, they were dealing bombs. “You got the money?”

“One million Lien right here.” Isaac began calculating the angles in which he could fire to take out the dealer and buyers without demolishing the building on himself. He vaulted over the hood of the car and shot the first three buyers with his right hand weapon while deflecting bullets away from the barrels with his left. He then delivered a round house kick to the head of the dealer and approached the last member still conscious.

Isaac then felt the jab of a TASER in his neck causing him to collapse on the ground. Soon the man turned and ran without grabbing the bombs. As Isaac relaxed into the floor he heard the familiar tap of a cane.

“Get up.” The man groaned.

“Nice to see you again, master.” Isaac addressed the man. 

“I said get up.” He spoke as he began to walk away continuing to tap his cane on the ground.

Isaac got up and began to follow the man. “What are you doing here?” 

“Lady Hellsing needs someone to manage her estate. So she called the best lawyer on the planet.” 

* * *

 

Location: St. Mordin’s Home for the Problem Child, Vale

Date: 2/13/3014

Time: 12:00

“Mr. Diavolo, I still don’t know what a lawyer would want with Isaac.” Sister Regina explained walking Victor Diavolo through the orphanage. The sound of his cane tapping the floor   sounded throughout the nearly silent hallway. 

“His problems have caught my interest.” He explained not looking at the nun because of his lack of sight. 

“Here we are.” Regina redirected Victor into room 347 where a young child with jet black hair lay on the bed gripping his head in pain. 

“Mr. Prásino, my name is Victor Diavolo, I’m here to help.” Victor said as he sat down in a chair in the corner and lay his cane against the nightstand. “Can you hear me?”

“I can hear and see everything.” Isaac groaned. “It gives headaches. It burns their image in my eyes.”

“Isaac, you have something called a semblance.” Victor explained. “It means you are a huntsmen.”

“A what?” Isaac got slowly up from his bed.

“A huntsmen is a man or woman. Human or Faunus who fights the dark. We also have powers called semblances.” 

“So why does mine hurt so much?” Isaac begged.

“Two things,” Victor raised two fingers. “People with semblances similar to yours are usually blind and two when a huntsmen first discovers his semblance, they usually can’t control it. Here put this on.”

Victor tossed a green strip of cloth large and thick enough to be a decent blindfold. “Okay.” Isaac placed the strip over his eyes and blocked his vision. 

“What do you see?” He heard a voice ask.

“Nothing.” Isaac stated as his vision remained black. Suddenly a pulse of white light passed all around him and everything in the roof was covered in a ghostly white glow. He saw Victor pick up a set of keys and throw them at high speed at Isaac. Isaac reached up and caught them with deadly accuracy.

“You’ve got talent kid. Come, and keep the blindfold on.” Victor said as he got up and grabbed his cane. 

“Are you a huntsmen?” Isaac asked as Victor reached the door.

“In a way, yeah.”

 


	6. The Clockwork Girl

Chapter 6: The Clockwork Girl

Location: St. Zech Church, Vacuo

Date: 3/17/3024

Time: 8:00

Robyn walked in the massive doors to the church where she had learned that Reddington was waiting for her. The massive building was built in the gothic style of brown brick and stained glass. He was seated in an upper balcony with his fedora off, but his sport coat and scarf remained on, alone except for his massive bodyguard, Djembe. She took a seat next to him in the pews as the priest began the service.

“I never thought of you as a man of Oum. I always saw you as an atheist.” Robyn spoke.

“Did you know this church was built in the exact center of the city? The elders decreed it so everyone could be equally close to Oum. I like that. The geometry of belief.” He began. “But the Hellsing’s prefer to stay as far from it as possible.”

“What do you know?” Robyn asked without turning.

“That everyone creates the thing they dread. Men of peace create engines of war. Monsters create Huntsmen.” He spoke in his normal monotone manner. “People create…smaller people? Uhh. Children! Heh. Lost the word there. Children. Designed to supplant them. To help them…end.”

“What are you implying?” Robyn implored.

“What I’m trying to say is that Luthor and his siblings are not the biological children of Lady Hellsing.” He said checking his watch nonchalantly. “But before I go any further, do you remember Clockwork?”

“Yeah I remember her.” Robyn spoke recalling the mysterious time wielder.

“She’s been captured by Mistral. They claim that she is a threat to national security.” He said passing a new file to her. “She’s being kept in a maximum security prison in the wilds outside of their kingdom.”

“She seems like one who could get out of their easily.” Robyn began looking through the file as she stated her concerns.

“She’s being kept in a custom cell that removes dust from her being. It prevents her from manipulating time in order to free herself.” He explained pointing to a blank space on the prison’s schematics. “My contact in there has told me that she has specifically asked for your team’s help. She believes you are the only ones who can keep it on the down low.”

“Sounds easy enough.” Robyn spoke closing the file.

“Just so you know. Her sister Cinder is also making a move on the prison, she wont be as merciful.” 

* * *

 

Location: Hellsing manor training grounds, Vacuo

Date: 3/17/3024

Time: 8:30

Luthor stabbed a fire poker through the chest of a combat drone and placed his foot on it to force the blade out. He swung around pulling out an AKS-74u and using it to gun down several more robots. 

A normal person would be aching and tired after three hours of this rigorous training, but this is what you get when your body is reinforced with enough bone to add an extra 300 pounds to your weight. The red lines that criss-crossed his armor were often interrupted by cracks and holes showing where he was shot, stabbed, burned, or all of the above. Most of these injuries could easily be treated by a bottle of vodka and some tweezers, but it caused most of the wounds to never heal properly.

He was dressed in nothing but a pair of sweat pants some sneakers and his weapon. As he cleared the room of the last training robots, he climbed to a pedestal in the lower right hand corner of the room and began to meditate. 

“I can sense something is troubling you.” A voice called out. Luthor opened his eyes and looked down below him to see a nicely dressed man with dark sunglasses over his eyes and a long white cane in his hand.

“Who are you?” Luthor asked stepping into the shadows.

“Victor Diavolo, Attorney at Law and Huntsmen, I represent your mother’s estate.” He explained. “Also you don’t have to hide. Everything’s hidden from me.”

“A blind huntsman?” Luthor asked peeking over the ledge.

“Yeah I was given a hard time at Beacon.” He said walking towards the pedestal. “My team helped me through it. Hell, I was even leader.”

“What do you want?” Luthor asked as he jumped from the platform. He walked over to a locker and pulled on a tee-shirt to hide his armor even though it was obvious the lawyer couldn’t see it. 

“Your mother has asked me to offer something very strange to you.” He said passing a file to Luthor. “You are technically fourth in line to be the heir of this house, but Lady Isabella wants you to be the next Lord Hellsing when she dies.” 

“Shit.” Luthor whispered.

“I can sense somethings on your mind.” Victor said turning towards Luthor. He sniffed at the air and exclaimed. “Girl trouble?”

“How can you tell?” Luthor growled.

“I can smell the pheromones in your sweat from a mile away.” He said pointing his cane at a nearby chair and laughing a grappling hook to grab it. The winch inside the cane pulled the chair over and he sat down in it. “Who is the potential Lady Hellsing?”

“Do you really have to put it that way?” Luthor asked.

“One of my friends from Beacon once told me that I always got all the hot chicks despite me never being able to tell if they were attractive.” He chuckled. He then froze. “Robyn’s returned. It seems she has a mission for you guys.” He got up and walked directly to the elevator. 

Luthor picked up his suit and put it back on. He got into the next elevator that came down not wanting to rush to the meeting that would probably very awkward after the events of the previous night. Why did she have to kiss him? Was it some sort of insult? Why the hell did he feel this way about her? 

He knew that no normal woman would ever want a man like him. One look under his shirt would have them calling the nearest Huntsmen to come and kill him. 

Then he remembered Clockwork. She was one of the only people who truly understood him. After hearing that his brother Nathan had defected to the White Fang in a disguise and the three others next in line after him disappearing he remembered the last words Clockwork spoke to him before they went their separate ways. “You might want to consider joining with your brothers again. The wolves miss you.” She knew what he was. She understood and warned him of the future.

* * *

 

Location: Special Cell Alpha, Maximum Security Prison, outside of Mistral

Date: 3/17/3024

Time: 9:00

Clockwork looked at her watch, a seventeen place atomic clock that covered her right forearm. “Okay let’s try this again.” She whispered to herself out of view of the microphones that monitored the cell.

She snapped her fingers and compared her watch to the clock on the wall with similar design. “Only a microsecond difference?” He shouted in frustration just before a large electric shock disabled her for a second. 

“We can’t have time bending can we?” The guard taunted with his hand on the switch. She relaxed on the cell’s bed stretching out her legs. She hated the hideous orange jumpsuit they had put her in. Though her normal clothes look like they were stolen from the time of Atlean Queen Victoria, they suited her well. 

She also really hated the guards. They were complete assholes and always tried to ruin her day: from “accidentally” dumping her food in the toilet, to straight up throwing that main lever and shocking her for no reason. At least they let her keep her MP3 player.

As she began to relax a series of knocks tapped the side of the cell. - .... . / ... -.- -.-- / .. ... / .-. . -.. .-.-.- / -.. --- / -.-- --- ..- / -.-. --- .--. -.-- ..--.. / - .... . / ... -.- -.-- / .. ... / .-. . -.. .-.-.- She understood. It was her contact Theresa Verdant. She was in deep cover as her personal guard and had just told her that the LIARs were en route to rescue her. ... --- .-.. .. -.. / -.-. --- .--. -.-- .-.-.- / -... .-. .. -. --. / -.. --- .-- -. / - .... . / ... -.- -.-- .-.-.- She tapped to Theresa. Ryan had told her that no guard in the entire facility knew Morse code and their communications were just random knocks to the others.  

Clockwork closed her eyes and remembered the first time she had met the team of rogues. It had been a sunny day in August two years ago. They were first starting out and hoping on with some random huntsmen looking for work and one of her contacts had told them to meet her in a park in Patch. 

She needed help, she was running out of dust to use on a little project of hers and the only way to gain more was to find a group of powerful huntsmen to fight. Someone alerted Ryan Reddington and he sent the LIARs her way. Long story short, the park was leveled and she received all the dust she needed. 

She was a bit nervous at first when she told Red to contact Robyn again because of how she treated her team, but they were the only option left as Theresa’s team, Team VCTY (Victory) had broken up several years ago. So she lay back on her bunk, put on her headphones and waited.

* * *

 

Location: Ruby’s Room, Rose/Xiao Long residence, Patch

Date: 3/17/3024

Time: 9:30

The light filtered in through the white sheet that acted as a canopy over Ruby’s bed similar to the one that had once hung over Ruby’s bunk when they still had bunk beds before they were taken down to create wider beds for the couples to sleep together on. Weiss had taken to sleeping on Ruby’s chest instead of the other way around, because Ruby wanted to make Weiss as comfortable as possible.

She was surprised that Taiyang Xiao Long was okay to learn that both of his daughters were into women. Weiss knew he was okay with Yang and Blake, when Yang came home with her “kitten” their first summer as Blake had no where else to go. She was even more surprised to learn that her adopted father was okay if she and Ruby were to sleep together.

The first time they had slept with Ruby at Beacon, Yang wanted to throw her off a cliff while she was strapped to a bomb for sleeping with her little sister. She guessed that Yang felt more protective of Weiss’ little dolt than her father.

Ruby still slept while Weiss lay awake on her little red dunce. Whatever Ruby was dreaming about, it caused her to gently stroke Weiss’ hair. As Weiss was about to doze off again in the comfort of Ruby’s arms, the curtains were ripped open and Taiyang and Yang were standing over the bed. 

“WAKE UP, SLEEPY HEADS!” They both shouted in unison. Weiss screamed at the sudden intrusion on her beauty rest and fell off the bed. Ruby, woken up by the scream and sudden loss of her ice queen, rubbed her eyes and looked towards the grinning faces of her sister and father.

“Be careful, you dolts, I could’ve gotten a concussion!” Weiss shouted. “And you never did this to Blake.”

“Blake’s a different kinda girl, Weiss.” Yang explained as she began pulling Weiss downstairs for breakfast.

“Isn’t she a ray of sunshine.” Taiyang sarcastically commented as Weiss and Yang continued to bicker on their way downstairs.

“She gets better over time.” Ruby explained straightening out her pajamas and heading downstairs.

“So what’s going on with Beacon?” The father of the worlds most dysfunctional family asked as he went to the pantry to get himself coffee.

“Professor Ozpin has given us leave until Weiss feels better about her new position. He feels that she needs her team to help her through it.” Blake explained sipping on some tea she had just finished brewing. 

As Ruby began to sip her coffee, cream and five sugars which she drilled into her father during her years at Signal, her scroll beeped with a text. It was from Luthor, she had forgotten he still had her number. _Going dark for a while. Will be silent for a few days._ It read.

“Who’s that?” Weiss asked as she cuddled up to Ruby.

“No one.” She answered shoving her scroll back into her pants pocket.


	7. Time in a Bottle

Chapter 7: Time in a Bottle

Location: Novice Barracks, Sanctum Academy, Mistral

Date: 9/1/3014

Time: 7:30 

“I am Gunnery Sargent Yngvar Kestrel, your senior drill instructor. From now on you will speak only when spoken to, and the first and last words out of your filthy sewers will be ‘sir’. Do you maggots understand that?” The Drill instructor shouted at the new Huntsmen in training as he walked along their barracks. 

“Sir, yes sir.” The new students cried out.

“Bullshit, I can't hear you. Sound off like you got a pair!” He shouted at one of the students.

“SIR, YES SIR.” The all screamed.

“If you ladies leave my base, if you survive recruit training, you will be a weapon. You will be a minister of death praying for war. But until that day you are pukes. You are the lowest form of life on Remnant. You are not even human fucking beings. You are nothing but unorganized grab-asstic pieces of amphibian shit! Because I am hard, you will not like me. But the more you hate me, the more you will learn. I am hard, but I am fair. There is no racial bigotry here. It doesn’t matter if you are human or Faunus. Here you are all equally worthless.” He screamed at the top of his lungs as he stalked an oval around the room. “And my orders are to weed out all non-hackers who do not pack the gear to serve in my beloved Huntsmen Corps. Do you maggots understand that?”

“Sir, yes, sir.” The recruits shouted.

He trudged over to a cat Faunus standing at attention on the right side of the room. “What’s your name, scumbag?”

“Sir, George Brown, Sir.” He shouted.

“Bullshit, you are now Mr. Cuddles. Do you like that name?” He asked in a sarcastic and mean way.

“Sir, yes, Sir!” He acknowledged.

“Well here’s something you won’t like, Mr. Cuddles; they don’t serve catnip and tuna on a daily basis in my mess hall.” He insulted him for being part cat.

“Sir, yes, sir!”

“You shouldn’t treat him that way.” A voice called out from the left side of the room.

He turned towards the source of the sound. “Who said that? WHO THE FUCK SAID THAT?” He marched towards the source of the sound facing three different girls. “Who’s the slimy little Grimm shit twinkle toed cock sucker down here who just signed his own death warrant?”

He looked over them once. “Nobody, huh. The fairy fucking godmother said it! Out fucking standing! I will P.T. you all until you fucking die! I'll P.T. you until your assholes are sucking buttermilk.” He walked to the first girl and grabbed her shirt lifting her from the ground. “Was it you, you scroungy little fuck, huh?”

“Sir, no, Sir.” She cried.

“You little piece of shit, you look like a fucking worm. I bet it was you.” He screamed.

“Sir, no, Sir.”

Soon a young girl at the end of the line called out. “Sir, it was me, sir.” 

He walked over to the small blonde girl in a red shirt. “Well, no shit. What have we got here, a fucking civil rights leader? Mrs. King? I admire your honesty. Hell, I like you. You can come over to my house and fuck my sister.” He delivered a swift uppercut into the girl’s gut. “You little scumbag! I got your name! I got your ass! You will not laugh! You will not cry! You will learn by the numbers! I will teach you! Now get up! Get on your feet! You had best unfuck yourself or I will unscrew your head and shit down your neck!”

From the on out, Robyn Hochrote wanted to sneak into his bunk and smother him with a pillow just to make sure that her and the other recruits would never live through the hell he put them through.

He began with live fire exercise, but armed them with bows and arrows instead of firearms. As it turns out she was the most accurate and quick with the primitive weapon than the others, even little miss perfection, Pyrrha Nikos, struggled to pull back the string hard enough.

So when it was time to forge their weapons, the young Lady Hochrote created two scimitars of carbon nanotube reinforced steel that combined into a bow and arrow. One of the few times the recruits were allowed to leave the base was during a tournament in Vacuo. That was where she was recruited by an old friend.

* * *

 

Location: Aircraft en route to Black Garden correctional facility, Mistral

Date: 3/17/3024

Time: 21:36

“Red this is Big Sky. We are awaiting drop clearance.” The pilot hired by Ryan spoke over the radio.

“Solid Copy, Big Sky. Team LIAR is cleared to engage.” Ryan spoke over all their comms. The team began to put on their gear required for a H.A.L.O. jump. “Be careful, White Fang have succeeded in infiltrating the facility. Let’s just hope they haven’t gotten to Clockwork yet.”

“Robyn, why are you using your old bow?” Annabeth asked from the other side of the cargo hold putting on her helmet.

“I felt the old _Scarlet Marion_ would do better on this op than my crossbow.” Robyn explained as she pulled her bow from a case and mounted it over her shoulder. She then grabbed the quiver and mounted it on a hook on her lower back.

“Okay get ready we are now 30,000 feet above the prison.” The pilot shouted as the back door opened. The team grabbed placed their oxygen masks on and waited by the door. The lights in the hold turned red as the back door slowly opened to equalize the pressure. The light soon changed to green and the door was fully open.

“You are green to go. Have fun.” Ryan called over their radios as they rushed towards the exit and jumped.

All it took was three minutes for them to reach 1500 feet so they could open their parachutes. After another three minutes they had touched down in the yard. The light’s were off suggesting that the attack has either yet to commence or it was over quickly. 

They stripped themselves of their jump gear revealing their normal clothes and armor underneath. Annabeth had also modified her weapon with a silencer instead of a muzzle break to keep it quite. Luthor pulled his AKS-74u out and equipped it with a sound suppressor. 

“Let’s move!” Robyn whispered as she rushed to the entrance of the prison. They ran through the yard they were dropped in through halls made of barbed wire fence and glass. Luthor and Isaac took point as they held out their close quarters weapons to take on anyone who tries to attack them first. 

They soon reached a door to the inside of the building where a security checkpoint began and stretched inside. Isaac produced a laser pointer and nodded to Annabeth to get into a prone position. As if by random, Isaac began pointing the laser at certain points on the wall to show Annabeth where to place a well timed shot. 

After half of her magazine was expended, Robyn went up and pushed open the door revealing five White Fang members on the ground bleeding from various guaranteed life threatening injuries. 

“This is Warden Kestrel, calling out to the squad who has entered the building.” A voice called out from a walkie talkie strapped to a prison guards corpse. 

“Warden Kestrel, this is Team Leader Robyn Hochrote.” Robyn stated picking up the device.

“Hochrote, it’s truly been a long time.” He said weakly. 

“Sir, No shit, asshole, Sir.” Robyn insulted.

“A lot of my students probably always wanted to say that.” He coughed. “Get your asses to the main guard station on the fifth floor. And that is a direct order.”

“Sir, yes, Sir.”

* * *

 

Location: Special Cell Alpha, Black Garden Correctional Facility, Mistral

Date: 3/17/3024

Time: 21:40

When the first explosions came from outside, Clockwork knew Robyn and her team had run out of time. She had to bear witness to the initial charge of White Fang soldiers rushing through the doors to gun down what little security detail they could afford to surround her. 

“Well look who it is.” Clockwork spat as her sister Cinder walked into the cell block. She was cuffed in her little plastic cell sitting in a chair positioned in the center. “I see you brought your little bitch too.” She commented motioning to Roman Torchwick. She then felt a burst of pain in her temple as a small young woman with multi-colored hair and eyes walked into the chamber struck her with an umbrella. 

“Hello, sister, how have you been doing.” Cinder spoke as she pulled up a chair. “Let me remind you that you are in no position to insult me.”

“Fine, thanks for asking. I see you’ve taken terrorism on as a hobby, after being a slut and murder.”

“We both know you are the only one who can crack the virus in the Cross Continental Communications Array.” Cinder explained recalling the night she had to fight Ruby Rose in the Tower during a party that she should have stayed at. 

“Do what you want. You’ll never get it.”

“Cinder, ma’am, we’ve lost contact with the patrol of the northern sector.” A voice called out over a radio.

“Roman, Neo, with me, we need to take out some trash.” Cinder growled as she motioned for Roman, the multicolored girl, and three other guards to follow leaving one left to patrol. 

“Hey if you free me. I’ll make it worth your while.” Clockwork stated trying to mimic Cinder’s trademark seductive smile. The guard, who must not have had an overabundance of schooling, took the bait and opened the door to her cell. 

She soon got to her feet and jumped at the nearest wall causing her to flip over the unsuspecting guard. She soon wrapped her cuffs around the terrorists neck and crushed his trachea with the chain. 

When the man stopped struggling, she let go and grabbed his key. The clockwork girl went straight for the door and unlocked it to get out. She searched all the guard corpses until she found the key ring for her cuffs and her item locker. Clockwork soon had the cuffs undone and back into her street clothes containing the massive amounts of dust she always carries with her. She wrapped her headphones around her neck and ran for the exit. 

* * *

 

Location: Kitchen B, Black Garden Correctional Facility, Mistral

Date: 3/17/3024

Time: 21:50

“Clear.” Luthor called as he opened the door and rushed into the circular kitchen used to provide meals to the prisoners in the Special Cells. As it looked, the staff managed to drop what ever the were doing and run as the attack started. 

The tables were still stacked high with food and cutlery and the stoves were still on as the chefs had no time to finish or stop what they were doing before their escape. Robyn took extra care to turn off the stoves as to not cause an explosion later. 

As they neared the exit, Isaac raised a hand. “White Fang. 11.” As soon as he finished, eleven soldiers of the White Fang entered the room. 

“Hands in the air!” Their leader shouted raising his pistol at them.

“Annabeth, stop them.” Robyn ordered.

“Stop or we will shoot!” The leader explained.

“I can’t. Their bullets are not dust.” Annabeth choked out worryingly. Just as the soldiers began to fire the weapons, Isaac jumped to push his girlfriend out of the way. Luthor went to his side to draw his shotgun from his coat and Robyn reached for her bow.

They didn’t realize that time for someone who had just entered the room was slowing down. Clockwork placed her headphones on and queued up an acoustic track from over 40 years ago on her MP3 player as the people in the room seemed to freeze. 

_If I could save time in a bottle_

_The first thing that I’d like to do_

_Is to save every day_

_’til eternity passes away_

_Just to spend them with you._

Clockwork ran to the wall and gripped onto it to run and get a finger full of soup before smacking a soldier up side the head. As she ran another few feet on the cylindrical wall and poked another soldier in the face causing ripples. As she got down from the wall, she kicked another soldier aside.

_If I could make days last forever_

_If words could make wishes come true_

_I’d save everyday like a treasure and then_

_Again, I would spend them with you_

Clockwork reached for a plate on a table and used to take out the fourth guard on that side of the room by throwing it at him. She then rushed to another guard and pushed his hands up and pulled him up by the seat of his pants to cause him to flip over. The next guard, she took the pistol away from him and used the hand that was holding the gun to form a fist. She then sent said fist on a collision course with its owners face. 

_But there never seems to be enough time_

_to do the things you want to do, once you find them_

_I’ve looked around enough to know_

_That you’re the one I want to go through time with_

The time bender soon encountered two soldiers who were lift and handed and right handed standing right next to each other. She removed the balance hands from the gun and placed the gun arms and collision courses with the other soldiers face. She then rushed to the front of the room where Team LIAR stood and pushed all the bullets that had made it far enough to almost hit away from them to hit the walls behind them instead of hitting them.

She walked to the back of the room and stood triumphantly as time resumed causing all the guards to beat themselves up at the same time. “Took you long enough.” Clockwork called from the other side of the room enjoying her work.

“You always had the flair for entrances didn’t you?” Annabeth asked embracing Clockwork in a tight hug which could break most people’s backs.

“We don’t have time for this! We need to get out of here!” Robyn ordered as she rushed to the door they had entered. “Red, this is Sherwood, requesting exfiltration for six, over.” Robyn shouted into her radio.

“Sherwood, this is Red.” Ryan voice filled the team’s radio. “May I ask who the sixth VIP is?”

“Yngvar Kestrel, he was the warden.” Robyn explained. She then motioned for Luthor and Isaac to go and grab Kestrel.

“Solid copy, Sherwood. We have a tilt jet en route to the prison. ETA 5 minutes.” Robyn grabbed a hold of Clockwork and led her to the entrance. By the time they got there, the jet was waiting for them hovering three feet from the ground with Ryan Reddington waiting calmly just outside the vehicle.

“Bravo, I must say that this mission went more smoothly than I expected.” The information broker shouted over the roar of the engines. He soon looked over the three huntress’ shoulders to see Luthor and Isaac carrying Yngvar on an improvised stretcher. 

“He only has superficial wounds and a nine millimeter slug shattered his right Humerus.” Isaac explained as they carefully lifted the wounded soldier onto the jet. Clockwork and the rest of Team LIAR joined Reddington on board the craft as it lifted off and flew away from Mistral.

“I was thinking,” Ryan began as the craft crossed all the uncleared forests and jungles. “the Vital festival is coming next week, and since my contacts have been quiet recently, I’ve decided to give you guys a vacation.”

“What’s the catch?” Isaac asked crossing his arms.

“Heh, there is none!” Ryan exclaimed. He reached into his sport coat and lifted a pair of keys from the inner pocket. “This is the key to my private house in Vale. I’m trusting you guys with it.”

“Then you don’t truly know us.” Annabeth whispered to Isaac. 

* * *

 

Location: Unknown

Date: Unknown

Time: Unknown

Secretary Johnson always feared his boss. His boss was the kind of boss who would have you wake up in a ditch with seven different broken bones and a bullet in your stomach if you messed up his coffee. The news that the poor secretary had to break to him would most likely have him wake up with all 206 of his bones broken and said bullet lodged in his face.

The other workers in the office glared at him with the expression of a dead man walking as he approached the door. “Sir, I have some bad news for you.” He stated as he slowly opened the door viewing his boss turned away from him viewing the sky line of Atlas.

“What is it?” The boss growled, not turning from the menacing death glare he was giving the world. 

“We have confirmed reports that at least three parties are aware of the Virus.” He stated.

“Let me guess: One is the White Fang, second is Reddington, and who might the third be?”

“Some small team of mercenary Huntsmen calling themselves Team LIAR.” Johnson explained shifting through his files.

“Where are these Huntsmen?” The boss asked.

“Unknown.” Johnson said. “They are constantly on the move.”

“Track them down and eliminate them. Priority 1-A kill order.” 

“1-A, sir?” Johnson asked in fear.

“Yes.” 

 


	8. Hiding in Plain Sight

Chapter 8: Hiding in Plain Sight

Location: Reddington’s Safehouse, Patch, Vale

Date: 3/18/3024

Time: 9:30 

Luthor sat in his room after he finished putting his casual clothes in the dresser and his suits in closet. The room was moderately sized on the second floor of a townhouse on a major street of Patch with beige walls and brown carpets. Luthor sat on his bed meditating with his glasses off. His mind searching for some semblance of hatred he could increase his aura off of. 

Luthor always hated meditating in the more progressive countries like Vale or Vacuo. That didn’t mean there wasn’t some form of hatred permeating in the air. It’s just that it wasn’t as strong. 

His head turned to the door as he heard soft footsteps. Keeping his eyes closed he spoke, “Come in.” The door opened and Robyn walked in and closed the door behind her.

“Look, I know you’re mad at me.” She began. Luthor’s eyes opened to see Robyn standing at the foot of his bed in a tank top and some jogging leggings. “But I really need to talk to you.”

“What?” He asked.

“Come with me.” She motioned to the door. Luthor reluctantly got up and placed his glasses on. He walked with her to the door and out of the building and on to the street lined with similar light brown townhouses and stores. 

“At least tell me where we’re going.” Luthor demanded as Robyn ran off causing his to try and catch up. They both had left their weapons behind allowing them to move faster and with more agility.

“We’re going to sign us up for the Vytal festival’s tournament.” She explained as Luthor caught up. 

“Why did you really drag me out here?” Luthor stopped and pulled Robyn aside into an alley between buildings and storefronts sensing something was different.

“Okay, I need to apologize for what happened back at your place.” Robyn said placing her hand behind her head. “It was unprofessional and uncalled for.”

“But?” Luthor pushed hearing the tension in her voice.

“Luthor, you really need to get out of your shell and I like you.” She explained. “I think that getting you to go out with me could help you with your… you know… social problems. Just give it a shot.”

Luthor let out a sigh. “Just one date. That’s it.” He poked her in the chest to further his point.

“I’m glad I’ve finally won you over.” Robyn spoke happily as she kissed him on the cheek and jogged away.

“You’re too cute for your own good.” Luthor whispered as he chased after her. 

* * *

 

Location: White Fang Base, Vale

Date: 3/18/3024

Time: 11:30

Ryan Reddington usually didn’t associate himself with the lesser terrorists of Remnant. He preferred the high class criminals who tried to set the world on fire from the top down. Today, he felt like warning his enemies personally and maybe share a cup tea. 

He walked towards the elevator to a higher section of the compound that was surrounded by stolen Schnee brand Dust. “I’m looking for the human going by the name Cinder Fall.” He demanded as he stopped. Many soldiers ran for cover while others too stupid to realize who was talking, grabbed their rifles and took aim. 

“Mr. Reddington, how nice it is to see you after you initiated a jail break for one of my targets.” Cinder Fall spoke slowly as she got onto the elevator and descended to his level. 

“I’d like to apologize. I only took it because Clockwork gave me the best deal.” He explained. “I looked over assassination briefing given to me by my contacts here and I just had to say no.”

“So why are you here?” Cinder’s partner in crime, Roman asked him walking over. 

“Oh the question of the hour!” Ryan exclaimed. “I’m here with a warning. Whatever you do, do NOT activate the Logic Virus.” 

“Why shouldn’t we?” Cinder asked.

“I lose many major customers, including you, if the program becomes active.” 

“What do you mean, lose us, Reddington?” Roman asked pointing his cane gun at the information broker.

“The Logic Virus rewrites a Knight’s AI to reach the logical conclusion that the ultimate enemy of Remnant are the Faunus.” Ryan explained. “The infected Knight then seeks out any Faunus, in the closet or not, and terminates them. You can’t conquer the world if you don’t have an army.”

“So are you suggesting that we surrender?” Roman demanded.

“Oh, Oum no.” Reddington exclaimed. “I’m saying that you should pursue other ways of world domination.”

Reddington turned and leaned towards Cinder. “Where did you find this man?”

“A debt needed to be repaid.” Cinder responded coldly. 

“Yes, but I thought you had higher standards.” He moved away and began speaking in his normal voice again. “Well it was such a pleasure to see you again. I hope we can meet more often.”

He kissed Cinder’s cheeks in a sign of admiration and turned on his heels and left. He left the grey metal building out towards his car. He opened the back door himself and sat down in the black leather seat.

“Djembe, did you get what I asked?” He spoke opening the bullet proof screen separating himself from the front of the car.

“Yes, Mr. Reddington.” The lion Faunus responded in his deep, cold voice while pressing an envelope through the slot. 

“Thank you, Djembe. It’s time we returned to the hotel.” He ordered as he opened the file containing the White Fang’s next plans.

“Yes, Mr. Reddington.” The driver responded and shifted the car into drive and pulled out of the empty lot. 

* * *

 

Location: Uncle Enzo’s Costa Nostra Pizza, Vale

Date: 3/18/3024

Time: 18:00

“I can’t believe you dragged me here.” Luthor asked covering his face as he sat nervously in the booth across from Robyn. The booth was situated at the middle of the two aisle restaurant closer to the kitchen that the front door. The padded leather seat was cold against Robyn’s nearly bare legs, Luthor always wondered why she went for the short shorts for her combat uniform, then he remembered that running into battle wearing a real tie, especially one tied in a Eldredge knot, was also insanely impractical. 

“Come on, what’s so bad about this place. Some of my old friends highly recommend this place.” She explained picking up her menu.

“I don’t know.” The Grimm Faunus stated. “This places unnerves me.”

Robyn put down her menu with a expression of ridiculousness on her face. “What, isn’t this place run by the mafia?”

Luthor shifted around nervously in his seat. “…Maybe?” He looked around at the people in the surrounding seats. “Look, I really don’t want to be here right now, there are a lot of things that can go wrong.”

“Can you just spend one day without being paranoid about the world around you? Just relax and enjoy tonight.” She took his hand in hers and held it tightly.

“I’m not paranoid.” Luthor explained to no avail. Before Robyn could retort, the waiter arrived at the table with their drinks and asked if they wanted to order now. 

“Fettechini Alfredo, please.” Robyn asked handing the tall man the menu.

“Pene with tomato sauce, with sausage sliced in it.” Luthor passed the menu to the server. The server then gave Luthor a strange look at his request and then walked off. 

“Pene with tomato- what are you thinking?” Exclaimed Robyn.

“What? I think it’s good!” 

“You are a strange little man.” Robyn sighed.

“I am a foot taller than you.” Luthor explained not understanding the joke. Robyn snickered at the ignorance.

“You know somedays, you act as though you were raised under a rock.” 

Within minutes, their meals had arrived. Robyn toyed with her food with the smaller of the two forks that the restaurant provided. The etiquette teachers that her parents hired would  have scolded her for using the wrong fork. She would then attempt to jam the fork into their eye socket for it.  

“Is there something wrong with your food?” Luthor inquired. Robyn looked up seeing that her dat was already half finished with his food. 

“No.” She responded softly. “I’m just not that hungry right now.” She looked around to find the waiter. “Waiter can we get the check and a box to wrap this up?” 

The waiter brought a white foam box and the check. Robyn paid in cash. They left the restaurant and turned onto the main street of town. “So where do you want to go now?” Robyn asked. 

“I need to buy something.” Luthor explained as he approached a small time Dust shop, called From Dust Until Dawn. He pushed open the door and walked in to meet the old man at the counter. “Mr. Johnson, the usual.” He explained curtly. 

The old man rushed in the back as fast as he could and returned carrying a massive black armored case. “As you requested,” He began in a weak voice, “I’ve logged almost every weapon that has come through this store. You should like the new P.D.W. upgrades that I’ve given it.” The man unlocked the case and opened it. The cased contained another perfect replica of the _Cloak and Dagger._

Luthor flipped the jacket and out came a beige rifle. He raised it into the extended position of Center Axis Relock. “Honey Badger .300 caliber Integrally Suppressed Personal Defense Weapon.” The clerk stated. “I’ve also upgraded the Dust storage capacity, and gave it the ability to gather dust from any form of crystal in the environment, all you need to do is crush it and pour it onto the jacket.” 

He pulled out a red fire crystal and crushed it in his hand. Luthor placed the weapon now in jacket form and placed it on the table. He poured the dust onto the coat and it glowed red for a few seconds before returning to its normal black. 

“That will be twenty thousand Lien, please.” Mr. Johnson asked holding out his hand.

“Last time I was here, it was Ten thousand.” Luthor explained.

“I’m sorry, due to the recent attacks on Dust mines. The prices have gone up. You wouldn’t know anything about that?”

“Fine, here’s your money.” Luthor conceded handing him the money.

“Thank you for your patronage.” The old man bowed as the pair of mercenaries left the store. 

“Liar.” Luthor whispered as the were out of distance even for the most dedicated Faunus. 

“Well you also have to consider all the students here for the festival.” She explained as they walked back to the safe house. The pair both looked up to see the massive stadium floating near Beacon Academy. All the ships floating around it were preparing to move the stadium to the kingdom that the festival was going to be in, Vacuo. 

“Wait a minute, don’t you think with all the terrorists running around, they wouldn’t hold this in a flying stadium?” Luthor asked the obvious question. 

“The Amity Stadium is locked up tighter than an Atealeasan soldier’s anus.” Robyn explained as they neared their temporary abode. 

They walked up the main steps, but before Luthor could open the door Robyn spoke up, “I had a really nice time tonight. I hope that we can do it again.”

“Yeah, me to.” Luthor said quietly in almost a whisper. Just then, Robyn pulled Luthor into another kiss, this time Luthor made no attempt to break away. 

They were, however interrupted when Annabeth ripped open the door and pointed her rifle at both of them. “GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY DAUGHTER, YOU BOY SCUM!” She shouted with her finger on the trigger. “Ha! Got you!” They heard the click of Annabeth reengaging the safety and lowering the weapon. “Isaac, where’s my fifty?” 

“They were making out?” Isaac’s voiced called out from the living room.

“Yeah!” She was answered by a fifty Lien card striking the door post mere inches from Annabeth’s face. “Thanks!”

“Wait! Were you taking bets on us?” Robyn shouted as Annabeth pulled the card from the door frame.

“Who wasn’t taking bets on you guys?” Annabeth explained as she walked in the living room and plumped down next to Isaac. 

“Anyway,” Robyn began as they all gathered together, “We need to be up early. The ship to Atlas leaves tomorrow at 5:00.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” Annabeth through up her usual taunting salute. 

* * *

 

Location: Rose/Xiao Long residence, attic

Date: 3/18/3024

Time: 18:30

“Ruby, may I have a word with you?” Taiyang asked. Ruby turned from her workbench the attic. She was attaching a new modification to her weapon when father climbed up.

“Sure.” She responded as her father laid a white case in front of her. “What’s that?”

“I know how much you love Weiss. So I going to give this to you to give to her. As a welcoming gift to the family.” He opened the box and laid it in front of her.

“Dad, no.” She nearly cried as she lifted her mothers cloak from the box. “How can you just give this away?”

“Ruby, I know this is hard for you.” He explained placing his hands on his young daughter’s shoulders. “It’s hard for me too.” 

“I don’t know.” She whined looking away.

“One thing I do know is: your mother would have wanted you to give this to whoever you loved the most in this world.” After he finished stating his feelings about the cloak, Taiyang Xiao Long got up and left the attic. Ruby lifted the silk garment to her face and cried into it. 

“Mom, what should I do?” She pleaded hoping her mother could send some message from beyond. “I do love Weiss very much, but I don’t know if I really want to give this to her.”

She remembered the last time she was wrapped in that cloak. It was a warm night in March, her mother was soothing her to sleep with a book. It was the latest in a series of children’s books about a young Huntress and her journeys throughout the world. Ruby begged her mother to keep reading, but Summer explained that she had to get up early to go on a mission the next day. She sent her off to sleep reassuring her that she would be back in a few days to finish. The book still sat on Ruby’s bedside, still marked on the page in which they left off.

Ruby lurched to her feet in frustration and swept her weapon and all her repair tools off the table. She screamed at the top of her lungs in the intense feelings that were running through her head. She fell to her knees exhausted and collapsed on the ground. When Ruby opened her eyes again, she was sitting up in Weiss’ arms.

“It’s okay.” She whispered into the younger girls ear. “I’ve got you.”

“How did you know I was up here?”Ruby asked as she turned to look at her girlfriend.

“Your father told me to come up here after you screamed. I rushed up as soon as a could.”

“Weiss, we need to talk about the…” Ruby was interrupted by the girl in question placing a finger on her lips.

“Let’s leave this off until after the tournament. Go and take a shower, I make the bed comfortable.” She kissed her lover as she got up and descended to the lower levels of the house. Ruby followed her partners advise, when she was finished, she climbed into bed, hair still wet from the shower and fell asleep ready to take on tomorrow.

 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Fireworks

Location: Vacuo Acropolis, Vacuo Capital

Date: 3/19/3024

Time: 10:00

“Lady Hellsing, its good to see you out here in your condition.” General Ironwood leaned in and took her hand to kiss. She pulled her wrinkled hand away from him in disgust and wiped it on her jacket. 

“General, I’m fine.” She pushed him away. “Where is my son?” She shouted into the crowd. She soon turned to one of her entourage.

“Which one?” One of her aids asked as he was grabbed by the collar.

“You know which one I’m talking about!” 

“Luthor is on the ship from Vale.” He explained producing the ship transcripts. She ripped the tablet from his hand and read it. 

“Why is he in Vale?” She demanded. 

“He was taking a break.” A new voice called in and walked towards them. 

“Who are you?” She asked as she hobbled over on her cane to approach him.

“Ryan Reddington. I’m Luthor and his squads handler.” He removed his hat and bowed. As he rose he was greeted with the guns of all of Ironwood’s soldiers. “My good men, should you not spill blood on such a glorious occasion.”

“Stand down!” One soldier shouted. 

“We’re here to celebrate unity. And I’ll tell you, you won’t find unity at the bottom of that magazine.” He pointed mockingly at the soldiers gun. 

“Enough!” Ironwood shouted breaking through the line of men. “What are you doing here risking your neck in broad daylight?”

“Solomon Greco.” Reddington simply stated. 

“The business man? He’s just here on vacation!” Ironwood explained as he began to pull his own gun.

“His business is international arms dealing. I should know, I buy from him.” Redding ton explained pulling the file from his jacket. “And he’s flown a group White Fang assassins for a suicide mission to bomb the acropolis to wipe out the heads of the academies and their Huntsmen.” 

“Is this your proof or is it your Faunus intuition?” Ironwood mocked. 

“Thank you General, I’ll keep my intuition out of this.” The information broker spat back.

“You people need to have some trust, some faith in Atlas’ ability to protect them.”

“You can have your faith. I trust Lies.” 

* * *

 

Location: Airship carrying Vale students to Vacuo, Skies over Vacuo

Date: 3/19/3024

Time: 10:10

Isaac sat there resting from the long flight from Vale to Vacuo. His head rested on Annabeth’s shoulder and her head was on top of his. He and Annabeth were growing tired from the constant movement from these past few weeks and really needed a rest. Sure the last few places they stayed at were comfortable compared to how he’d seen pictures from the Academies, but they were all just places to rest their heads between insane near suicide missions.

As Isaac drew closer to full sleep, his scroll began buzzing in the breast pocket of his jacket. He groaned in dismay as he pushed Annabeth’s sleeping head off of him and retrieved the holographic tablet from his coat. 

He opened the screen to reveal the dark silhouette of an unknown caller with the number redacted. He pressed the accept button and placed the device to his ear. “Isaac this is Reddington.” A heavily distorted voice stated. “Get out of your seat and head down into the cargo bay of the Bullhead.”

“Why?” The assassin spoke back.

“An attack on the festival is imminent. I need you on the ground now.” The owl faunus ordered. 

“Should I wake the others?” Isaac asked getting up from his seat and grabbing his weapons and bandoliers. 

“No time. I’ll brief them on the ground.” Reddington explained. Isaac walked down the aisles filled with other students and reached the back door labeled, Staff Only. He passed by stewardess’ and other employees taking care not to get noticed by them. He reached a spiral staircase and took it to reach the lower level of the craft. 

He entered into a massive bay containing all the vehicles, gear, and suitcases of the students above. Plus a massive armada of Knights. “Reddington, I’m in the cargo bay. Any news about a shipment of Knights to Vacuo?”

“Not that I know of.” He responded. Isaac walked to one and opened its AI compartment, pulled its targeting chip from its brain, and shoved it into one of his thigh pockets. “There should be some parachutes towards the door. I’m going to open the door and you have to land on the green luxury yacht in the bay.”

“Roger.” He responded as he hung up and placed the phone back into its pocket. He walked towards one of the walls and removed one of the grey backpacks from the hanger. As he began the process of strapping himself into the device, red lights flickered on and sirens wailed. Guards began to rush the entrance trying to see what the commotion was about only to find Isaac mid jump out of the open storage bay.

* * *

 

Location: Solomon Greco’s Yacht, Vacuo Harbor, Vacuo

Date: 3/19/3024

Time: 10:15

  As Isaac glided down on his parachute, he kicked a guard into the harbor for good measure before disconnecting himself from the harness and rolling onto the platform that acted as the helipad for the boat. 

He pulled his blindfold down and activated his semblance. He drew his weapon and checked it for damage and blockages before loading a new magazine and approaching the interior of the boat. 

He entered into a long hallway surrounded by doors, but he sensed that all the rooms were empty except the furniture. The main living area was patrolled by one guard standing at a computer speaking into his scroll. “Yeah. Yeah. The camera loop has been uploaded to the security network, they should never expect whats coming.” As the guard hung up his call, he was taken out by a silenced gunshot. Isaac rushed forward to prevent the sound of him hitting the ground alerting anyone else. He caught the body and gently lay it on the ground underneath a table to prevent anyone else from finding it. 

He snuck onto the uncovered dinning deck and approached a ladder leading to the lower deck. He began to walk around the side decks before he sensed the approach to two guards. He took cover at one wall and waited. 

“You think that Greco’s really going through with this?” One asked the other as he took out a cigarette to smoke. “Something like this is going to put him on top of the most wanted lists.”

“How the hell should I know? He supports the Fang, so we should back him.” The other explained leaning over the railing. Isaac reached around and pulled the smoker from his leaning stance. He brought the guy to the ground and strangled him silently. “Joe? Joe where did you go?” The man on the railing called as he drew his pistol. 

Isaac leaped out from cover to whack him upside the head with the barrel of his gun and threw him over the edge. After the splash of the body landing in the bay sounded, Isaac rushed over to the main area of the deck, another living room this time patrolled by two guards. He reached into his holster strapped to his hip and drew his other gun. 

Just as the guards turned to see the commotion, Isaac walked into the door frame and shot both of them before they had time to draw. Isaac stalked through the room taking enough time to listen to the tv report the news. “Backlash has broken out of Atlas’ heavy handed military presence in Vacuo. General Ironwood claims its for protection, but many citizens fear it is the beginning of an invasion.” 

Isaac walked away from the screen and into a hallway with a large set of double doors at the end. From inside he could here Greco yelling at an underling over his scroll. “Where are my men? Where are my boats? Do you think we should turn ourselves then?” Isaac placed his hand on the door before kicking it in with a simple push kick. “Who the hell are you?”

“Call off the attack, Greco. It’s over!” Isaac shouted as he aimed one of his weapons at the criminal.

“One man against fifty. I think not! Guards!” He shouted as he rushed out of the door on the other side and two men armed with submachine guns entered the room and open fire.  Isaac stuck his pistol from around the corner of a wall he had taken cover behind and shot both guns away from their owners and then beat them two the ground as they tried to regain their footing and weapons.

He rushed to the room in which Greco had escaped only to find a computer room with a ladder leading up to the next level. Just as he got up another guard rushed forward only for Isaac to break his arm over his shoulder and throw him down into the room he had climbed up from. He ran into the room he had entered when he landed only to hear the roar of a helicopters engines. Isaac leaped into cover, deactivated his semblance and covered his ears as a multi barreled machine gun mounted on the side of a vehicle opened fire into the room smashing all the windows and destroying most of the furniture. 

When the gun finally stopped, Isaac rushed out onto the deck to see that Greco was already on another boat, this time a speed boat. “Give me that!” He ordered an underling after seeing Isaac on deck. The soldier reached for an assault rifle. “No! The bigger one!” 

Greco was handed a guided missile system to destroy the original boat with. As the rocket locked onto the yacht, Isaac heard his girlfriend shout from a lower point. He looked over the edge to see Annabeth sitting in a speed boat with the Ultimate Ratio driven into the front deck. “Get on!” 

Isaac vaulted over the railing and onto the deck of the boat below just as the rocket hit above and sunk the boat. “You drive, I’ll shoot!” Annabeth shouted as she pointed at the steering wheel. 

“How did you get this?” Isaac asked as he shifted the boat into gear and sped off from the wreckage. 

“Reddington gave it to me. He told me that you were in trouble.” She explained as she disengaged the safety and began to search for enemy boats. 

Their boat rushed in between two cruise ships in tracking the main boat. As they sped between larger boats, two speed rafts rushed in from the side. One of the people sitting on it pulled out an assault rifle and opened fire trying to strike the IA of the team. Annabeth internally locked onto the engines driving the boats and blew them sky high with her semblance control bullet. Before the other crew had time to react they too were sunk. 

As they rushed in between another two massive boats, the helicopter from before swept through the gap and opened fire with both of its mini-guns. Despite the hull of their boat taking a few shots, they were mostly unharmed. 

The helicopter was joined by more gun boats as they weaved between civilian boats docked or trying dock in the harbor. Annabeth picked of some until her magazine went dry. Isaac picked up the slack by drawing his own pistol and taking out the drivers while Annabeth went through the long process of placing a new magazine into its slot. The now driverless boats crashed into the shore or the regular boats. 

As the passed a light house, the helicopter laughed a rocket at the structure causing it to collapse into the water. Instead of crushing them as the pilots must have tried to do, the tower collapsed onto two of the gunners in front of them. Their boat just used the ruins as a ramp to jump the flames and continue on with their chase. 

The boat that Greco was riding on drove straight into a valley with narrow rock walls. The helicopter made another run in an attempt to smash the walls causing a landslide. Isaac swerved around to avoid the rocks crushing more minions. 

“Take out the chopper!” Isaac shouted as they neared a fueling station. The helicopter swung around to make a new run. Annabeth swung her rifle towards one of the fuel tanks and fired a single shot into the tank. 

The shrapnel from the resulting explosion ripped the aircraft to pieces and cleared the way for them to continue onward. 

* * *

 

Location: Vacuo Docks, Vacuo

Date: 3/19/3024

Time: 10:30

Luthor waited behind the pillar in front of the hotel whose employees were currently hostage so as the Fang could get through without notice. He waited perfectly still learning how to keep his breath under his armor as not to show any expansion. As one guard moved from the outside to the inside, Luthor reached out and grabbed him. He put his hand over the mouth and the other arm around his neck to make sure he made no noise.

When the soldier was finally unconscious, Luthor dragged the body over to a dumpster and tossed it in. He then took his White Fang disguise that he knew by heart already and armed himself with the same Honey Badgers’ that the rest of the terrorists were using. Thank you Mr. Johnson, he thought as he joined the group of guards. 

“Sir we heard some explosions coming from the valley and neither the helicopter or the Huntsmen’s boat have been seen.” One Faunus arrived saluting while bringing the news. 

“Good, load up the van we’re leaving…” Greco began, but was cut short by a speed boat launching itself over a ramp and crashing into a group of soldiers. Luthor took this as his cue and shifted his body into a bladed stance and drew the weapon across his body. He took aim at the soldiers rushing towards the boat and fire in small bursts accurately hitting all of them. 

Luthor dropped his disguise the second Isaac and Annabeth crawled out from the rubble, their aura healing the minor injuries they sustained in the crash. “You know, a little heads up would always be helpful!” Luthor yelled at the replacing his rifle for his long slide .45. 

“And let you have all the fun in the surprise?” Annabeth taunted as she swung her lance around knocking over three guards at once. 

“Where’s Robyn?” Isaac asked as they entered the lobby letting all the workers know that they were safe.

“She’ll meet us on the other side of this block. She’s the driver.” Luthor explained as he ran down the first hallway performing a z scan. 

“Stop!” Isaac raised his fist. “There are twenty on the other side.”

“I got this.” Annabeth explained as her lance converted into rifle mode. She planted her foot firmly on the wood and pushed causing the door to shatter and announce her presence to everyone. The courtyard was filled with a massive pool and several bars and restaurants to cater to the tourists.

“Sup bitches?” Annabeth began. “No offense to any dog faunus in the room. This here is a 20x138mm anti tank rifle.” She explained pointing at the massive weapon in her hand. “Against a tank, it actually sucks. But against a person? Well let’s just say you’re more fucked than a Valean school girl at the octopus exhibit.” 

As if on cue, all the White Fang members turned and ran as fast as they could. Annabeth raised the weapon and opened fire on all the fleeing enemies. “Run cowards!” She screamed at them.

“I am strangely aroused by this.” Isaac turned to Luthor explaining. 

“Please don’t put that image in my head again.” Luthor ordered as he rushed off. 

Luthor ran up the first guard who stayed to fight and struck him the the throat with the barrel of his gun before grabbing him to use a human shield. “Let’s go for a walk.” He whispered as he dragged him into the crowd. He shot three more soldiers before pulling the pin on a grenade he noticed attached to his shield’s belt. He kicked the guard forward as he struggled to get the grenade off of him before it detonated. 

The grenade detonated taking out him and all the others in the area. Luthor reloaded his pistol before rushing forward to another guard entering from the other end of the courtyard. The Fang member pulled a knife from his belt and tried to stab forward. Luthor grabbed his Karambit from his jacket. The assassin grabbed the terrorists arm and broke it over his shoulder and slicing across his stomach with his knife. He then reached up and sliced the arm and then the neck, killing the soldier in one of the most painful knife moves invented. As the guard collapsed, Luthor pulled his Desert Eagle and shot another soldier entering from the same door. 

He then motioned for the rest of his team to follow. They walked through empty hallways to reach what looked like a secondary lobby for people arriving from the streets. After clearing it of its guards, they walked out side to the parking lot where some White Fang showed up in a truck to try and stop them from entering the restaurant on the other side. That problem was swiftly solved when Annabeth blew the truck to pieces with a single shot. 

After crossing the lot, running up the stairs to the outside patio for the restaurant, they kicked in the door and raised their weapons towards Greco who stood their arrange the final preparations. “Where’s the bomb Greco?” Luthor interrogated.

“You’re to late!” Greco screamed as a black SUV crashed out of an outside garage and rushed off to the Acropolis. Soon afterward a black sports car swerved in front of the restaurant and Robyn opened the front door. 

“Get in!” She ordered as they all piled in and Robyn smashed the accelerator. She pulled out onto the highway and gently swerved between passing civilian cars. One of the passengers of the bomb laden car leaned out their window with a G36C assault rifle and opened fire. Most of the bullets missed, but some struck the wind shield and shattered it. 

They crossed into a section of pre-kingdom ruins breaking through the barriers protecting them and soon crashed into a guarded section of highway leading to the final destination. As they reached an unguarded bridge, Robyn reached to her side and pulled out her crossbow and set the revolver to use fire bolts. She lay the weapon on the dashboard above the steering wheel and lined up to take a shot at the bomb in the trunk. 

As the SUV regained stability, Robyn pulled the trigger, firing the arrow to smash through the back windshield and pierce one of the explosives. The arrow was set for a 5 second timer allowing her to zoom past the car and accelerate onward to the Acropolis while the car exploded behind them. 

* * *

 

Location: Vacuo Acropolis, Vacuo

Date: 3/19/3024

Time: 10:45

General James Ironwood looked out across the bridge leading to the ancient structure as he watched fireworks rise from the bridge. “Fireworks? Did you know there were going to be fireworks?” He asked turning to Reddington. 

“Honestly, yes.” Reddington taunted while walking away.

“How did you know.”

“Call it intuition.” Ryan joined his team as they walked up from the parking lot. He knew which one was their’s because it had collapsed the second they had parked it. 

“I was worried that you wouldn’t make it.” Reddington explained as he guided them towards all the other students gathering for the group picture. 

“Well that makes two of us.” Robyn stated as they all took their places amongst the crowd. 

“Say, Vytal!” The photographer shouted as he pulled out his camera and motioned for everyone to take their places. 

“VYTAL!” They all shouted as the bright flash from the camera blinded most of them. 

 


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Nightlife

Location: Room 2456, Grand Vacuan Hotel, Vacuo

Date: 3/20/3024

Time: 20:00

Blake always wondered how Ruby could ever be comfortable sleeping with Weiss. Weiss was flat and cold, the opposite of Yang who could knock out Blake with a single warm snuggle. It was too early for anyone to be tired, but they had retired to their respective rooms anyway. 

Blake curled up on the bed with her copy of _Ninja’s of Love_ that she hid in her suitcase so that even the security guards could find it. As she reached an important scene in the book in which two ninja clans were about to face off in an epic final battle, Blake felt the one of Yang’s arms wrap around her waist while the other undid her bow revealing her ears. 

“You reading your porn again?” Yang asked as she started to nibble on Blake’s ears.

Blake just stared out the window at the skyline before responding. Vacuo personally made sure where their priorities lay when they were deciding where to house the contestants for the Vytal festival. Vacuo got the top 25th floor, Vale on 24, Mistral on the 23rd, and Atlas got the ground floor. This made a lot of sense to everyone except the students from the frozen wastes who believe they were personally insulted by Lady Hellsing.

“I’ll have you know that Ninja’s of Love is a serious novel about Sulking, the Youth Acrobatics Lookout, who founds his own clan of ninja parkour scouts in search of the MacGuffin muffins which would help them defeat Master Banana Rama by increasing their power nuggets.” Blake stammered to explain.

“It’s porn isn’t it.” Yang stopped her biting and looked Blake directly in the eyes.

“…Yeah…” Blake finally admitted. 

“That plot you described sounded like bad fan fiction.” Yang flipped Blake around so that she was facing her, more accurately, her cleavage. Blake then looked up directly in Yang’s face and gave her her infamous death glare. “So I heard there was the swinging night club not far from here. Wanna get dressed and head out there?” 

“Sure.” Blake agreed and pulled herself from Yang’s arms to go to her dresser and gather her evening wear. She pulled out her black pants and grey long sleeve shirt and went into the bathroom to change. 

“Why do you have to go to the bathroom?” Yang whined as the door closed.

“I know what would happened if I did.” Blake shouted from inside the bathroom. “I actually want to go out.”

“You’re no fun.” Yang whined as she went to go get her own casual clothes. She remembered wearing this stuff that time she punched a mech to death. That day was a good day. 

Meanwhile, Blake leaned over the counter top with her bow undone laying in front the sink. She knew Vacuo was quiet liberal on the topic of Faunus, but she was so used to wearing her bow in public with the exception of team JNPR, her team, and especially Yang. She made up her mind and tightly tied the ribbon around her ears as Yang walked in and hugged her from behind. 

“Are you ready to go?” She asked looking at Blake via the mirror.

“Sure. Are Ruby and Weiss coming too?” Blake asked as they left their room and entered into the main living area. 

“Nah, they want a quite night in.” Yang explained as she opened the door and entered into the hallway.

“Yes. ‘Quiet’.” Blake gave her best air quotes as they approached the elevator. Yang turned to her and gave her her own death glare to show that she was serious not to talk about her younger sister that way.

“I’m kidding!” Blake defended herself as Yang pressed the button for the ground floor. 

* * *

 

Location: Grand Vacuan Hotel, room 2548

Date: 3/20/3024

Time: 20:03

Luthor lay out on the couch with his shirt open and a bottle of vodka sitting on his bed side table. He took his tie placed the knot in his mouth as he poured the alcohol over a new hole near his heart. He grabbed a pair of tweezers from the table and placed the tongs in the hole and poked around for the bullet. 

When he finally found a good grip on the remnants of the projectile and pulled. He screamed as loud as a person with a silk tie in his mouth operating on himself could scream. After another 30 seconds the bullet was dislodged and he placed the round into a metal dish. 

Robyn lay down on the bed they had to share to conserve space with her legs crossed flipping through the channels and flinching at the nearly silent screams of her boyfriend. “Let me help you.” She stated getting off the bed and went to the chair. She placed her hands on his shoulders and straddled Luthor. “You know these are actually quite beautiful. You should wear some body armor to protect these.” She pressed one hand across his plates and grabbed the tweezers from his hands. 

“Wouldn’t that defeat the purpose?” Luthor mocked as he gripped the arms of the chair as Robyn went to work. “Body armor defending body armor?” Her finger began tracing the patterns of red lines that framed each plate symmetrically before yanking out another round. 

“I just think you should be more careful before charging head first into a crowd of White Fang. You’re not really trained for that kind of combat.” Robyn explained yanking out one more. “Are all of these new?” She pointed at the numerous holes and cracks.

“No. Just the ones you removed.” Luthor explained trying to get up before he was pushed down again.

“What’s that?” Robyn asked poking around in a rather large hole located 3mm from Luthor’s heart feeling a bullet still lodged in there.

“12.7x99mm anti-material round fired from a high impact sniper rifle point blank.” Luthor explained. “I know you can guess who pulled the trigger.”

“Ruby Rose?” 

“Exactly.” Luthor picked Robyn up and threw her onto the bed before standing up and re-buttoning his shirt. He removed his tie and placed it into the laundry basket before moving to the closet to get a fresh one. 

“Why do you keep it in?” Robyn asked sitting up.

“I don’t know. Coryn says its going to be the death of me one day.” Luthor explained as his scroll bussed in his pocket. He opened the device revealing a redacted number.

“Who is it?” Robyn asked as Luthor pressed the button.

“Hunterville Club, thirty minutes.” A heavily digitized voice called over the line. 

“Who is this?” Luthor asked to no avail. 

“You will enter through the basement. I will be in the control tower.” The voice explained coldly. Luthor pressed the button and placed the phone back into his pocket. 

“We need a game plan.” Robyn stated hearing the conversation. “How about we get Isaac and me to work the floor while Annabeth covers the exit. You go in and meet with this mysterious informant.” 

Luthor finished tying his tie as Robyn got up and ran across the suite to Isaac and Annabeth’s room. “Yo, quit your fucking and get out here. We’re going to a club!”

“We’re not fucking!” Annabeth shouted back through the door as rustling was heard him inside. After a minute or so Isaac opened the door with his jacket in wrinkles and his bandoliers a bit crooked. He had just finished holstering his left side gun and Annabeth rushed out with her rifle slung over her back. 

“What’s the plan?” Annabeth asked. 

* * *

 

Location: Hunterville All Ages Night Club, Vacuo City, Vacuo

Date: 3/20/3024

Time: 20:45

Luthor walked towards the small storm door behind the massive club, splashing wet sand onto his pants as he opened the doors to see a massive flight of stairs reaching almost five stories in height, and led himself into an underground cellar. The massive underground chamber contained multiple Armored Personnel Carriers, Paladins, and Bullheads. 

The walls were lined with massive black banners bearing a similar logo to the White Fang, but with out the trade mark scarring. “Hagsfiend to Sherwood. I have confirmed visual contact on White Fang like operations. Do you copy?” Luthor whispered into an earpiece

“Solid Copy, Hagsfiend. What do you mean by White Fang like.” Robyn whispered back over the radio. 

“I mean the banners are the wrong color and the uniforms look different.” Luthor explained taking cover behind a crate. 

“Okay, investigate. We’ll make sure that you’re clear from up here.” Robyn ordered while signing off. Luthor shifted himself into a standard White Fang uniform, but changed the color into black. He reached to his coat which mimicked their standard issue XM8 rifles. He left his position and walked calmly towards the main control tower on the far side of the chamber. 

As one soldier opened the door to the structures interior, Luthor used it to get inside without having to bypass the same panel. He entered into a stairwell with grey metal walls that looked as if they were hastily thrown together and just as easy to take down, reaching to multiple floors with their own offices. From the outside, the main control center was on the top floor so Luthor began ascending the staircase. 

He stopped at the top seeing one long corridor with a simple metal winch door in the center. He approached the door and as he went to grab one of the levers, the door jolted and the bars moved on their own as the door split in half between its upper half and lower half leading into a nicely furnished office space. 

“I knew you would come.” A male voice spoke from behind the desk with his chair facing away from him. “Come in.” 

Luthor walked in as the door closed behind him. “I see you’ve met my friend Clockwork.” The man pointed to a corner where Clockwork sat in a chair cleaning off a pump action shotgun. 

Luthor relaxed into his normal form and placed the rifle back on himself in coat form. “What are you doing here, Nathan?” Luthor asked as his older brother spun his chair around and faced him directly. Nathan was at least half a foot taller than his brother with more pronounced bone plates that he couldn’t hide like Luthor could. His hair stood on spikes and his red eyes where on full display.

“Welcome to the Black Fang, Luthor.” Nathan pointed to the entire setup. “We are the true White Fang.”

“What do you need me for? I already have employment.” Luthor explained as he took a seat in one of the luxurious chairs. 

“First I would like for your team to hear this out.” He reached over and pressed a button on his desk and a microphone popped out. “Security, can you find three huntsman, one would be dressed in a red vest and shorts, another in a blue dress and incredibly tall, the last will be wearing a leather jacket and have two pistols in hip holsters.”

“Roger.” The voice on the other end explained.

* * *

 

Location: Hunterville Night Club, Vacuo City, Vacuo

Date: 3/20/3024

Time: 20:50

After a while of being completely bored, Annabeth was lying on the gravel on the nearby roof top next to her rifle. She felt her left breast vibrate as her scroll activated. She pulled it out and answered the call. “Can you come inside. We’re meeting with someone.” Robyn explained.

Annabeth punched the air in excitement and pulled the weapon from its cleats and holstered it. The sniper grabbed onto the nearest fire escape and used it to descend to street level. She walked towards the massive glass structure with various lasers and lights firing out of the building with DJ’s bass threatening to disintegrate the entire building. 

After passing, more like pushing, the bouncer out of the way, Annabeth entered into the mostly holographic room filled with dancing club goers. She looked around and saw some old faces from Atlas and other students here for the festival. She picked out her teammates standing towards the back to the left of the DJ standing near a guard and a simple unmarked door.

She crossed the dance floor pushing party goers out of her way and making her way to the door. “Ms. Beryl?” The guard asked as she arrived. He wore the same black suit and red tie that all the other guards in the place were wearing. “Follow me.” The guard opened up the door leading into a drab white hallway ending in an elevator. 

The security agent pressed the down button opening a circular glass elevator and motioned the team to enter. All four of them packed into the tiny enclosed space and the guard pressed the subbasement 3 button. The elevator jolted slightly before descending allowing the Huntsmen to view the massive hanger beneath the club. 

“How the hell do the fit all this stuff down here?” Annabeth asked to no response from the guard. 

The elevator stopped depositing them in a long featureless hallway with a single mechanical door in the middle. The guard twisted the levers and pushed the door apart revealing a well furnished room with what appeared to be a human with Grimm bone protrusions coming out of his body sitting behind a desk.

“You all must be the rest of Team LIAR.” The figure spoke in a deep almost growling voice. “My name is Nathan Hellsing, I’m Luthor’s older brother.”

“You have a brother?” Isaac asked turning to Luthor who was sitting nearby playing chess with Clockwork. 

“Seven siblings to be exact.” Luthor explained. 

“And what’s with his back?” Annabeth asked.

“Isaac, I thought you would have figured it out sooner.” Luthor got up walked up to them. 

“So the lacking of heartbeat…” Isaac began.

“Blocked by the presence of similar growths.” Luthor explained. 

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Annabeth asked.

“Oh yes.” Luthor started sarcastically. “A Grimm Faunus among us, that won’t cause an international incident!”

“Look we can keep a secret. That’s our job!” Isaac explained.

“I know this is all awkward and emotional, but can we get to the topic at hand?” Nathan asked from his desk. “What has Reddington told you about the Logic Virus?”

“All we know is that it kills Faunus.” Robyn explained sitting down.

“Clockwork?” Nathan called out as the time wielder pulled open a display which filled with heavily redacted files written in Reddington’s handwriting. 

“I have spent the time since you sprung me from prison gathering all the known files on the Logic Virus from Reddington and sending them to the Black Fang to be leaked to the media.” Clockwork explained. “We believe that Gunther Schnee is behind the creation and development of the program.”

“Mechanized warfare has been around since the war. Why not just order all the drones to perform this task?” Isaac asked.

“Because all drones have an inbuilt logic mechanism that controls which persons are declared a reasonable threat to the survival of any Kingdom.” Nathan explained. “This weaponized computer algorithm changes that bit of code to recognize all Faunus as that threat.”

“So what appears as a glitch in the system…” Luthor began.

“Becomes global genocide…” Robyn finished.

“When does it come online?” Isaac asked as he paced around the room.

“During the closing ceremony of the festival.” Clockwork explained. “Gunther believes that by beginning his war of destruction when the world is gathered together in harmony, he can eliminate all Faunus and their supporters in one fell swoop.”

“But, Gunther has hit a road block. In order to become active, the main console requires the consent of himself, and both of his daughters.” Nathan pulled up a picture of the businessman and his two heirs. “Since Weiss has left the family,” Weiss’ picture x-ed itself out, “and the programmer himself George Whitenam has sought asylum in Vale, Gunther is left with no way to turn it on without kidnapping his own daughter, who he has gone on the record of saying he hates.”

“So we just wait and twiddle our thumbs until he makes a move?” Robyn called.

“Sadly, yes.” Nathan remorsefully sighed. “We can not risk revealing our existence now. And the end of the festival is not for another week. We will build up our might and hire some teams for when the time comes. Until then, this meeting never happened and if mother asks, I’m still missing.” He pointed at his brother. 

The security officer led Team LIAR out of the office and back up into the club where they rejoined the festivities of the other huntsmen. As they reentered the club next to the DJ the door closed and blended back into the wall from which it appeared. 

* * *

 

Location: Grand Vacuan Hotel, Room 2548, Vacuo City, Vacuo

Date: 3/21/3024

Time: 2:30

Robyn pushed open the door to their suite as the rest of them stumbled in except Luthor. It seems that someone must have spiked the drinks in the club and with Luthor’s size and species caused his liver to be near indestructible. 

As Annabeth flicked on the lights, they were greeted by Reddington sitting comfortably on the couch as Djembe stood quietly in the corner. “Why funny meeting you here!” Ryan spoke out sarcastically.

“What do you want?” Isaac asked nearly tripping over his own shoes.

“Well I have intel on the team you will be fighting in the festival.” Reddington explained pulling a manila folder from his coat and placing it on the table. “They’re a team from Vale called JARS. I know, dumb name.” 

“Thanks.” Robyn responded as she left to her and Luthor’s room for the night. “We’ll look over it tomorrow.” 

Reddington didn’t say a word, but walked towards the exit with his bodyguard in tow. As the door closed Isaac and Annabeth retreated to their rooms while Luthor walked over to the file. Inside was a series of audio discs to learn. He grabbed them and entered his room where Robyn was already in her night gown and laying in the bed. Luthor sat in his chair and placed some earbuds in to listen to the voice he may have to mimic.

After three minutes of going through the files, the headphones were pulled out by Robyn who was standing over him. “Oh no. You’re not studying now!” She ordered in her most dictatorial voice she could muster. “You are coming to bed and snuggling with me!”

She pulled him and threw him a pair of pajama pants and pointed him towards the bathroom. He went inside and quickly changed and climbed into the bed. He initially tried to stay on his side and leave Robyn on the other, but Robyn showing much more strength of a girl her size flipped him over and curled up next to his chest and pressed her left cheek against one of his chest plates. “Goodnight.” She whispered as she closed her eyes.

 


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Between a JAR and a Hard Place

Location: Locker Room A, Amity Stadium, skies over Vacuo

Date: 3/22/3024

Time: 12:30

Luthor sat on one of the bench with the file on a member of JARS named Jadelinne Rosanne Furine. The file mentioned many things he could play off of. Parents never home, Check. Boyfriend who is not on the team, Check. Years of anxiety, Check. He placed his headphones in and began to listen to recordings of the target’s family and learned to mimic them. He pulled out his scroll and added Jade’s number which was at the bottom of the profile onto his scroll to use. He looked under semblance, fear control, interesting. He took note and checked his weapons.

Annabeth used her bench to strip and repair her gun for her future match with an anti-material sniper named Azure Kovacs. While she had the advantage of caliber, he had the advantage of range and accuracy. Plus, wings granted to him by being a Eagle Faunus made him more obvious of a target. His cyberkinesis semblance was useless in this environment which put him on the disadvantage. 

Isaac repaired the silencer in his left gun while reading up on Sieghart Feardorcha. A swordsman at heart and enjoyed the tension of a close quarters fight. He read that all he needed to do was to keep him away from water so he couldn’t heal himself and he had the fight in the bag. 

Robyn sat loading a new cylinder into her crossbow as she poured over the file for Ryna Larylathir. She read that she was a solar powered archer, so if the environment was right she could drag her deep into a shaded area and beat the living daylights out of her. 

Annabeth suddenly broke the silence in the room. “Why didn’t you tell us,” She stuttered, “you know, about that.” 

“I had a deal with my mother stating that I could go to combat school as long as no one knew.” Luthor explained as he loaded his Desert Eagle. 

“Did anyone know before this?” She asked as she got up and sat next to the assassin.

“Robyn knew, Reddington knew,” He began to list on his fingers, “Coryn knew, I think Victor may have figured it out, Isaac must have suspected something.”

“I always wondered why your organs were so quite.” Isaac interjected as he checked his new laser sights by shining them right into his eyes. 

“Do you want to go blind?” Annabeth berated him as he grabbed the pistol away from him.

“So do you even have an aura?” Annabeth asked she held the pistol away from Isaac.

“Yes, but it’s quite weak compared to yours.” Luthor explained aiming down his sights at a target on the wall. 

“You know keeping secrets is our job. We would have protected you.” Isaac explained. 

“We can discuss this later,” Robyn interrupted as she checked her watch, “we have a battle to win.” 

* * *

 

Location: Amity Stadium, Battlefield, Skies over Vacuo City, Vacuo

Date: 3/22/3024

Time: 12:35

“Hello and welcome to 41st biannual Vytal festival!” A voice called across the stadium. “I’m your host Professor Malder, joining me is the headmaster of Shade Academy, Professor Noir.”

“Thank you, Professor Malder. As you know the tournament is divided into three rounds.” The deep serious voice of Professor Noir spoke over the intercom. “First is team vs. team combat. Second is two fighters from each team fighting each other. And last is the one on one combat.” 

“For the opening fight, we have Vacuo’s own Team LIAR…” Professor Malder looked down at his notes in confusion, “Did you have them in a class?”

“No?” Professor Noir asked confused.

“Well we do know is that they are going to be taking on Vale’s Team JARS!” The mercenaries rushed out onto the grey platform that would soon change into their battlefield they looked to the other entrance to see their targets. 

They took their team title order on each side of the center platform. “Now,” Professor Malder began as eight massive holograms floated above the field, “time to pick the combat zone!” The holograms began their slot machine spin and as five seconds passed, it finally landed on the arena choices. 

“On the north side of the stadium behind Team LIAR is the cityscape!” Professor Noir pointed out as half of the holograms showed a picture of a skyscraper. “On the south side, behind Team JARS, is seaside!”

The stadium began to shake as the edges of the field slid away and on the north side a series of small buildings and towers rose from the pit beneath the field. On the other side a beach filled with water and a wrecked ship rose from the abyss.

“5,” The announcers began to count down. “4, 3, 2, 1.” 

As the count finished, Annabeth rushed into the nearest tower to gain a height and view advantage over the battlefield. She rushed up the five flights of stairs and kicked in the door to the roof top level and found an arrow slit like structure for her to aim through and let few other shots in. 

Sieghart attempted to rush all the way into the water only to have his neck wrapped in Robyn’s chain and dragged into their side of the field where he was attacked by Isaac. He swung his tonfa at the knight’s head only to have it blocked by a sword strike. Isaac drew away and ready his weapons. “Finally,” Sieghart cracked his neck, “a challenge.” The swordsman raised his two blades and raised one over his shoulder and the other was draw across his body at arms length. Isaac rushed forward and fired one shot into the swordsman’s left knee to knock him off balance. Sieghart used this to create momentum and sliced down into Isaac’s back as he passed to the side. 

Jade kept her staff at the ready as she stalked through the buildings. She was always weary of the shadows and rooms as she would never know where the attack would come from. She quickly jumped into cover at the sound of the crunch of some dirt and then walked back out into the open. She soon felt her scroll buzz in her pocket and she pulled it out and set it on speaker. “Who is this?”

“Jade, it’s me, your dad.” A deep male voice spoke from the other side. 

“Dad?” She whispered in the phone.

“I’m sorry that me and your mother were unable to make it today,” He explained, “we know how this is important to you. Other things came up, I know you understand.”

Azure Kovacs flew over the city scanning for targets when he sensed a two way phone conversation going on within the field. His mind traced it to Jade and an unidentified person in one of the buildings. He took aim at the source of the unidentified signal and pulled the trigger. The 12.7mm bullet ripped through the stone roof and collided with Luthor’s scroll which was laying on a nearby table as he aimed at Jade through his WA2000. “Shit!” He exclaimed as he leaped away from the exploding piece of tech revealing his position. 

“Oh it seems like Jade has fallen for Luthor’s semblance, mimicry.” Professor Noir explained. “He can mimic person he has sufficient data on.”

“You bastard!” Jade screamed as she drew her chain and latched onto Luthor pulling him from his perch. “Come out and face me like the rat you are!”

From her position, Annabeth just had a few centimeters on Kovacs. “Move a little bit, birdy.” She whispered aiming down her sights. After a few seconds Kovacs raised himself above the buildings enough for Annabeth to take a clear shot. She pulled the trigger firing off into the direction of the flying sniper. Before the bullet could get half way to the target, Azure turned around and fired back causing the two bullets to collide in midair and explode in shrapnel. 

Robyn engaged in an arrow fight between herself and Ryna on top of the broken ships mast. Both sought to destroy their beam which they balanced precariously on. With neither of them getting an advantage, Ryna leaped across the platform and tackled Robyn down onto the main deck of the ship damaging their Aura significantly. As they struggled to get back to their feet, Ryna steadied herself first and drew back her bow to generate a sun arrow. Robyn was ready to through in the towel as she knew there would be no way of getting out of that situation. As if some god out there took pity on her, Ryna was thrown into the shield separating the field from the audience by a well placed anti-tank shell. She looked off into the distance and saw Annabeth tipping an invisible hat to her. “Oh, that’s got to hurt!” Professor Malder exclaimed. “And Ryna Larylathir has been eliminated!”

Luthor redirected Jade’s staff out of the way with the curved barb of his fire poker and drew his Hardballer to fire a few shots into her side. She responded by digging into his mind and generating illusions of the lynch mob that once tried to kill him. Remembering the trauma, Luthor collapsed to the ground clutching his head trying in a childish way to hide. She used this advantage to deplete his already weak aura causing him to be eliminated. “And Luthor Temno has been eliminated!” The green professor shouted.

Isaac had been going at it for most of the match with Sieghart, neither of them gaining an advantage. The knight tried to slice at the blindfolded man, but missed due to the fact that Isaac was constantly jumping out of range. “Hold still!” He screamed as he recklessly sliced around. Isaac ducked down and flipped his gun so that he could use the grip of his pistol to latch onto the swordsman's left arm to grab him and throw him to the ground. As Sieghart tried to get up, Isaac placed his foot down and pinned him so he could shoot him several times. “And Sieghart Feardorcha has been eliminated.” Professor Noir exclaimed. 

Jade stalked around the water area calm and collected, but deep down fearing the next attack. Robyn hung from the bow of the ship in a cat climb position with her semblance on full blast trying to hide Jade. With one had she switched her revolver to Electric heads and loaded an arrow into the slot and leaned out to take aim. She didn’t try to aim at the target herself, but at the water around her. “Tough luck, bitch.” She whispered as she pulled the trigger and the arrow popped out of her invisibility field and struck the water 3 centimeters from Jade. The water crackled for a second before shocking Jade into unconsciousness. “And with the defeat of Jade Furine. Team JARS has been reduced to one last contender!” Professor Malder announced to the stadium. 

Azure Kovacs dodged every shot taken at him from the blind folded man to the sniper. “Robyn, I need a distraction, stat!” Annabeth screamed into her radio. Robyn spun her arrow cylinder to flash bang and took aim. She only need to reach the general area of the eagle faunus to blind him for just a few seconds. 

“Annabeth, look away!” Robyn ordered as she pulled the trigger releasing the nonlethal explosive. After a second of flight time, the arrow reached its apex and released its payload. The weakened dose of lightning and fire Dust burst in the air, blinding the flying faunus long enough for a well placed shot from Annabeth. 

“And with that, Team LIAR wins!” Professor Noir exclaimed as the sniper flew to the side of the field from the push. Robyn jumped off of the ship and rushed to where Luthor still lay and picked him up with a burst of Aura. 

“How are you feeling big guy?” She asked. 

“Fine.” He said trying to get up. “At least you don’t have to operate on me tonight.” 

Annabeth rushed over and help Robyn with moving Luthor into the locker room. They exited through a tunnel on the north side of the field and down a small flight of steps into the small chamber. 

Standing near the entrance was Lady Isabella herself surrounded by her guards. She was dressed in her usual furs and cloak with a cane at her side. “I would like to congratulate you all.” She began as she shook Robyn’s hand. “I will be inviting all of the contestants of the tournament to the estate tonight for a feast. I hope you can come.” 

“We wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Annabeth promised as her teammates mother walked out of the chamber. 

* * *

 

Location: The Raven’s Roost Tavern, Vacuo City, Vacuo

Date: 3/22/3024

Time: 13:00

Qrow Branwen sat at the bar drinking from his jug of beer only barely paying attention to the fight that had just ended on the screen. “Is this seat taken?” A voice asked form behind him.

“No.” The legendary huntsman slurred out. The figure pulled out the stool and sat down next to him and ordered a martini.

“Are any of the Maidens faunus?” The man asked.

“What?” Qrow turned to see an owl faunus in a suit and fedora sitting next to him. Seeing the opportunity, he grabbed the nearest bottle and smashed it on the table and aimed it at the information broker. Reddington responded by pulling his Hi-Power 9mm and pointed it at the scythe wielders liver.

“You really do remind me of my ex-wife.” Reddington began as Qrow sat down in his seat. “You both really want to give my head to Ironwood on a pike.”

“Look Ryan,” Qrow began as he took a sip of his drink, “I have my own troubles to think of. Rumors are going around of a PMC that infiltrating the worlds militaries.”

“The Voron Initiative?” Reddington asked.

“Yeah, I think that’s what their called.” 

“They’re not a problem currently.” Ryan explained while handing a file to Qrow.

“The hell’s this?” Qrow asked as he opened to folder and search through the contents.

“It’s intel for Ozpin’s and the Councils eyes only.” Reddington explained. “So I must ask you again, are any of the Maiden’s faunus?” 

“As you would say,” Qrow remarked sarcastically, “that’s classified.” 

“How are your nieces doing.” Ryan asked his drink arrived and took a sip.

“Fine.” Qrow pointed to the TV showing Team LIAR walking off the arena. “Those yours?”

“That’s classified.” Ryan remarked with a chuckle.

“Look Ryan,” Qrow began, “I know Ozpin likes to keep you on the pay roll, but unless you do something useful to the cause, I will not hesitate to seize your assets and do something for once with them.”

“You do that.” Reddinton finished his drink. “I’ll just go back to doing your job.” With that the criminal got up and left his seat and the huntsman to wallow in silence. 

 


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: An Invitation to a Party

Location: Room 2456, Grand Vacuan Hotel, Vacuo

Date: 3/22/3024

Time: 15:30

Even at 3 o’clock in the afternoon Yang was still hungover from the night before. Blake had known the drinks were spiked, but Yang didn’t care. She just kept on drinking until Blake dragged her out of the building and loaded her into her motorcycle and tried to ride it back home despite never having much experience with the machine. 

“What time is it?” The blonde moaned for the seventh time that hour. 

Blake looked at the clock on the bed side table. “3:30” 

After groaning some more, the door was slammed open by Ruby with a letter in her hands. “I have an important announcement!” She yelled at the top of her lungs!

“Shut up, or I’ll implode Weiss’ skull!” Yang groaned covering her head in the pillow. 

“I wasn’t even part of this, you dunce!” Weiss shouted from across the room.

“I’ll still implode it anyway!” She screamed back trying to get up only for Blake to push her back. 

“You are not murdering her in your condition.” Blake explained. “That’s my job.”

“I knew it!” Weiss screamed lunging through the door only to be stopped by Ruby.

“Lady Hellsing invited all of the contestants to her estate for a party tonight!” Ruby announced. 

“That’s cool.” Blake explained pressing an ice pack to Yang’s forehead. “When is it?”

“Tonight at seven.” She explained while reading the letter. 

“Tell her we’ll be there.” Blake stated which cause Yang to groan again. “Oh shut up already.”

“Ugg, do I have to go?” Yang complained. 

“Yes,” Blake explained like a mother calming a child throwing a tantrum, “and  you have to dress up!” 

“Fuck you!” Yang shouted as she turned in her bed.

“It’s not that time of the year yet.” Blake taunted as she got up to grab her formal dress.

* * *

 Location: Hellsing Manor dressing room, Vacuo

Date: 3/22/3024

Time: 19:30

Luthor stared at himself in the mirror, checking to see if his new suit was in order. His clothing was only slightly different from his normal wear, consisting of his normal black shirt and pants. His tie was the same tied in the same eldredge knot. His vest was now of a more ornate Vacuan design with wavy lines in thin silk. On top of it was a smaller variant of the Cloak and Dagger made to look like a double breasted jacket. 

Isaac entered into the room wearing a green felt jacket with a blue shirt and yellow tie in a Shelby knot. “Are you excited about tonight?” Luthor asked.

“Well I’m excited to tell you that that tie makes you look like an assistant manager at the CCTS.” Isaac explained pointing at Luthor’s tie.

“This is a seven fold, 100% pure silk, tie,” Luthor explained pointing at his tie. “Eldredge knot. Where did you get that, Daisy Penniless?”

“I’ll have you know this Shelby and I won best dressed at Signal’s Final Dance.” He reached into his coat and pulled out an Oscar like award. “That was a black tie event.” Luthor looked closer and saw that the trophy said, Disqualified- Wrong Color.

“I’ll show you how a real man ties a tie.” Luthor reached over and took Isaac’s tie and redid the knot. “Christensen knot.” He explained as he was finished.

Isaac went over and redid the grimm’s tie. “Merovingian.” He stated as he finished the classic villain tie.

“You touched my tie.” Luthor growled.

“You touched my tie first.” Isaac replied.

Luthor pushed Isaac into the wall and began retying the knot while taking every chance he got to punch him in the face. “Agape knot.” He spoke as he pulled away. 

Isaac leaped up and kicked Luthor in the gut pushing him back before launching into a flurry of kicks which the assassin blocked before one last lucky shot slammed his head into a dresser. Isaac took advantage of this and grabbed the tie and using it to guide Luthor’s head into his knee. As Luthor got up he saw his tie was now different. “Trinity knot.”

Luthor grabbed Isaac and threw him against a nearby dressing room knocking open the door while he finished the new knot. “Saturn knot.” 

Isaac blocked another strike and threw Luthor into another door, this time with a similar but yet different knot. “True love knot.”

Luthor went a bit overboard as he threw Isaac into the next door with enough force to smash it down. He got up and used the bar at the top of the entrance to bar jump into Luthor causing him to stumble back and allowing Isaac to grab onto his tie and force him to turn around. He then proceeded to retie the knot. “Half Windsor.”

Luthor grabbed onto Isaac and used his body as leverage as he ran up the nearby wall to flip over his compatriot and do what to him what he had previously done. “Full Windsor.”

“Oh will you two just shut up and make out already?” They turned to see Annabeth taunting them with Robyn right next to her. 

“What?” The both asked readying to punch each other again. Annabeth broke out in a hearty laugh and smacked Robyn on the back as the smaller girl just stood there and blushed.  Annabeth was dressed in her normal dress, but with all the armor plates removed. Meanwhile Robyn was wearing a red backless silk dress with a low chest cut. Between her breasts was a obsidian beowolf with a pearl mask hanging from a gold chain.

“Oh come on you idiot.” Annabeth ordered as she dragged Isaac out of the room and closed it behind her. Luthor walked over to Robyn awkwardly. 

“Um. You look nice tonight.” He stammered. Robyn just reached up and removed his glasses and then went to remove his gloves. She pressed her smaller frame into him causing him to reflexively wrap his ungloved hands around her waist. 

“Yeah, your sister Lily got this for me.” She explained holding back a laugh. “She said that her little brother needed something to stare at all night long.” 

“Remind me to kill her when this party is done.” Luthor said as he pulled his Mauser from his coat. 

“Nope!” Robyn explained pulling the gun from his hand and and ripping the barrel off and shoving each section of the gun into his chest. “No killing tonight.”

“Yes, boss.” He murmured sarcastically as he grabbed his gloves and glasses away from his date.

The scroll in Luthor’s pocket buzzed and he pulled it out. “Luthor, get up here.” His mother’s voice screeched from the other end. “The guests are arriving.” He pressed the button and put his phone back in his pocket. 

“Need to go?” Robyn asked crossing her arms.

“Yeah.” Robyn gave a quick kiss before leaving the room. 

* * *

 

Location: Hellsing Manor Great Hall, Vacuo

Date: 3/22/3024

Time: 20:00

 _Go mingle with your old friends she said… It’d be fun she said…_ Isaac groaned internally as he sat at a table with some of the students from Beacon. He looked over at Annabeth putting some uptight Atlas kid in a strangle hold when he thought it would be a good idea to flirt with her. What he learned was team FNKI was laughing at the display themselves.

“So, what’s it like on the run?” Velvet Scarletina asked with genuine interest.

“You get used to it after a while.” Isaac explained. “After spending three nights on the ground with only a sleeping pad and a blanket and afterward you find out that your source of intel was off by six days and twenty miles, you pretty much ignore the cold or the twig trying to stab you.” Everyone at the table laughed except Blake who had the look of someone who would understand that kind of discomfort. 

Luthor really did hold his own with his old classmates. He was assaulted from all sides by the newly formed teams NDGO and BRNZ. The girls of NDGO wondering if he had finally broken out of his shell and asked a girl out. Nolan Porfirio decided to give Luthor a break and pull him out of the crowd. He guided him out towards a balcony and leaned against a railing. 

“So how’s Shade treating you all?” Luthor asked his old friend as he rubbed his eyes from the small headache he was getting.

“Same old same old.” He responded. “How’s the mercenary business doing?” 

“Trying hard not to have the fifty cal shoved deeper into my chest.” Though Nolan never saw them, he was aware of Luthor’s plates and weak aura. Luthor told him he was actually a scorpion faunus to throw him off track. 

“So Nebula heard that you got a girl.” The stick fighter stated. “Who is she?” Luthor pointed at the crowd of Mistral kids with Robyn in the center talking about how she personally saved Sgt. Kestrel’s life.

“She’s hot.” Nolan remarked before receiving a punch that could’ve shattered his ribcage had it not been for his Aura. “Still haven’t lost that punch.” He sputtered out on the ground.

“I know you still are a bit attracted to Dawn.” Luthor taunted while offering a hand to let him up.

“I don’t think she’s that interested.” He responded getting up on his own. 

“You don’t know if you don’t try.” Luthor spoke to brighten up his friend. They were soon interrupted by a person they never thought they would have to deal with again. 

“I could help if you want.” Sun Wukong called out joining his former classmates.

“Well if my intel is correct, the last girl you tried to woo started dating another girl.” Luthor explained trying to get the monkey faunus away from them.

Nolan started laughing as he heard the Oum honest truth. “Is that true?” He asked between laughs. 

“Stop reminding me!” Sun ran off in tears to his team mates from Mistral. 

“What, even Shade wouldn’t accept him?” Luthor asked.

“Yeah.” Nolan chuckled at the thought. Luthor looked over into the party and saw his mother standing next to Robyn talking to her.

“I have to go.” Luthor deadpanned pushing Nolan out of the way and walked through the crowd of students. He cautiously approached the two of them like a pair of targets and noticed that they were both laughing to a joke he must have missed. 

“How are you two getting along.” The normally cold assassin asked awkwardly nervous that his mother would find out about his relationship.

“Great.” Robyn responded with a smile. 

“She told me you two started dating.” The leader of Vacuo turned to her son and gave him an inquisitive look. 

“Yes, she knows.” Luthor explained knowing the question she was asking. Isabella looked slightly angry for a second, but soon calmed down. 

“I hope you two are happy.” She spoke through gritted teeth and stormed off, probably to punch something. Luthor turned to his date and silently asked her to go after her to calm her down. Robyn agreed and Luthor gave chase into the main hallway leading to the bedrooms. 

* * *

 

Location: Shade Academy, Main Offices, Vacuo

Date: 3/22/3024

Time: 20:15

The doors of the borrowed office slid open as Qrow Branwen stumbled in with Reddington’s file in one hand and his flask in the other. Professor Ozpin, Winter Schnee, General Ironwood, and Professor Goodwitch stood there shocked at the unexpected arrival. 

“You would not believe who just talked to me.” Qrow slurred out as he slammed the file on the desk.

“Reddington?” Ozpin asked calmly already knowing the answer.

“Ryan mother fucking Reddington.” Qrow yelled out in his stupor.

‘Wait a minute,” Ironwood interrupted, “You talked to Reddington?”

“More like he held me at gun point and told me how useless I was without him.” Qrow retold. “And then he gave me this thing and told me to show it to you.” 

Ozpin picked up the folder and opened it up. “And then he was all like, ‘Are any of the Maiden’s faunus?’” Qrow began mocking. “What an asshole.”

“Dear Oum, he actually finished it.” Winter exclaimed looking into the file himself. With that outburst Qrow instantly sobered up and looked into the file himself. 

“What are you talking about?” Qrow asked.

“I thought it was one of his insane ramblings.” Winter explained. “The Logic Virus is real.”

“You’re telling me, Gunther Schnee has just created a genocide code?” Ironwood asked in all seriousness. 

“Genocide code?” Qrow asked.

“Scientists believe that with the advancement of drone warfare could lead into a program that could ruthlessly exterminate not only targets, but entire countries.” Glynda explained. 

“And my father has just created it with the sole intention of killing every faunus on the planet.” Winter finished in shock. 

“How do we stop it then?” Ironwood asked. 

“It says here that the only way to activate the program is if Gunther, Weiss, and Winter all give consent to the activation.” Ozpin read. 

“Well how could he activate it if he has exiled Weiss?” Glynda asked while Ozpin kept flipping through the documents. He came across a receipt for a team of mercenaries. 

“I found it. They’ll kidnap them both.” Ozpin explained pulling out the slip of paper. “Tonight.”

Qrow began to worry as he had to protect Winter. He looked around and began pacing. “Okay, I’ll stand guard outside of her hotel room and I need squads on every entrance.” He began barking out to the gathered council members. 

“What about Weiss?” Winter asked out of concern for her sister.

“Weiss is surround by three of the best huntress’ I know.” Qrow explained pointing at the other Schnee heiress. “She’ll be perfectly safe, trust me.” Winter had a look of fear and mistrust as Qrow left the room to gather the necessary soldiers to protect the Schnee girls from harm. 

* * *

 

Location: Room 2456, Grand Vacuan Hotel, Vacuo

Date: 3/23/3024

Time: 00:15

Weiss and Ruby were insanely tired after the long party. With the loud music, friends talking, and some romantic drama between two Vacuo students, they just kicking the door for their bedroom open and collapsed onto the bed together. They lazily removed their shoes and dresses and crawled under the covers to a good night sleep. As Ruby fell quickly asleep, Weiss held the younger huntress close to her chest and lay awake for about another minute or two and then drifted off to sleep. 

Yang and Blake went through a similar procedure yet were still conscious when a knocking sound resonated through the vents. Blake got up from the bed and approached one of the grates in the ceiling pumping cool air into the room. The breeze had stopped and Blake climbed onto a chair to get a closer look. When she got within inches of the grate, it burst open and began pouring out little blue pellets into the room. Blake was knocked out instantly by the impact, but before Yang could see what had gone wrong, the pellets began releasing a white gas into the room.

Within seconds, Yang was on the ground drifting in and out of consciousness from the anesthetic released from the little balls. She turned to the open door leading into the living room of the hotel suite and heard the click of the door disengaging. 

A team of soldiers in gas masks swiftly opened the door and ran into the room to check for any hostiles. “Clear!” Three of them shouted as they searched various areas of the suite. 

“Do you have a visual of the VIP?” Their leader ordered.

One soldier entered the BY of the team’s room and looked at the two girls on the floor. “I have confirmation of one animal and its owner in this room.” He called back and kicked Blake once in the ribs. “Filth.” He whispered under his breath before rejoining his squad. 

“I have visual contact of the VIP!” A soldier shouted from the other room. The whole squad entered the second bedroom to find Weiss peacefully asleep with her arms around Ruby.

“What do we do with the other one?” A soldier on the side of the bed that faced the large window. 

“Leave her,” Their commander ordered, “She’ll be exterminated when Lord Schnee is through.”

The soldier at the side of the bed gently lifted the covers off the sleeping pair while another went through the suitcases for Weiss’ clothes to dress her in. The soldiers dressed the unconscious form and slung her over one of their shoulders. “We’ve got two minutes before they wake up!” The commander reminded as he began walking out of the suite. The squad followed suit as the commander took point leading them to the stairwell. 

The climbed three flights of stairs and pushed out onto roof to see the awaiting bullhead. The blast door opened to reveal Gunther Schnee standing at the entrance next to a bound and gagged Winter Schnee to his left. He reached down to grab his other daughter from the mercenaries. “And now it’s time for your payment.” He explained pulling a pistol from his jacket. He was surround by Knights each armed with various firearms. “You’ve done your job perfectly well, I’ll admit.” He explained shooting the commander. “But, you’ve now become a liability.” 

The mechs surrounding him opened fire killing the rest of the soldiers. When they finished, the bullhead pulled off and flew to Vale. “Don’t worry my dears. The world will be set free soon.”

 


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: The 117

Location: Secret Black Fang Base, Vacuo City, Vacuo

Date: 3/23/3024

Time: 5:00

“Oum damnit!” Nathan Hellsing screamed as he swept all the contents of his desk down onto the floor below. “They weren’t supposed to be taken for another week!” He ripped off one of his bone spikes and threw it into the wall where it embedded itself on a picture of Cinder Fall tacked onto a dart board.

“Nathan please, calm down.” Clockwork called from across the room trying hard not to get near the raging Grimm faunus while he was destroying parts of his office. “We can adjust!”

“Get me Adam on the phone!” He ordered causing Clockwork to swiftly pull out her scroll and dial the number that she was told to never dial under any circumstances. As the scroll was ringing, she hooked it up to a holographic monitor which filled with the logo of the White Fang.

After five seconds of ringing, Adam’s masked face appeared from the other side. “I thought I told you never to contact me while I’m in cover.” He growled.

“Things have changed Adam.” Nathan explained as he greeted his fellow comrade. “I have declared Operation: Nightfire to be launched tonight.”

“Are you serious, we don’t have the man power and equipment to move that many soldiers to Vale!” Adam yelled. 

“Well Gunther Schnee has taken both of his daughters, which can only mean that he moving deployment ahead of schedule.” Nathan explained.

“But Reddington,” Adam began.

“Reddington is an asshole who likes to play both sides of the game.” Nathan explained. “For all we know, what he gave us was a complete lie!”

“What you need is a scalpel, not a sledgehammer.” A male voice remarked from the other side of the room as the door opened revealing Reddington and Djembe. Before Nathan had time to threaten him, Clockwork handed him Reddington’s Hi-Power. 

“What are you doing here?” Adam asked through the phone.

“I’m here to sell you my services.” Ryan stated placing a stack of files onto the desk. “Three Reaper drones, Two Paladins, at least three and three quarters huntsmen squads, and the backing of the International Taskforce 117.” 

“And what do you get in return?” Nathan asked sitting back down at his desk.

“The Virus.” Reddington stated simply.

Nathan laughed at the request. “You think I will just hand over the worlds most powerful weapon to you? We’re destroying it.”

“You can trust me.” The Owl faunus stated.

“To hand it right over to some terrorists like the Black Fist?” Nathan growled. “No thanks, give a deal in Lien.”

“Ten million.” Ryan negotiated.

“If you double cross us,” Nathan explained pulling a check book out of his desk, “I’ll shoot you myself.”

As he finished writing out the check he spun around to face the hologram. “Adam, prepare your forces for the assault tonight.” He explained. “I know Cinder wants her hands on the Virus.”

“I’m glad we can do business together.” Reddington stated with a smile taking the check. “I’ll alert my suppliers.”

* * *

 

Location: Unknown

Date: 3/23/3024

Time: 6:30

Almawt Al Aswad stood at the top of his base awaiting his sniper. The wind from the sea breeze failing to penetrate his mask. “Lord Al Aswad, you called.” A young man spoke from behind him. Kaspar Opal kneeled before his master with his Jezail rifle hook slung across his back. He was covered in black and white armor which could excrete a temporary Ghillie suit. 

“Remember the kill order I gave?” The heavily mechanized voice asked in monotone without turning around. 

“Target: Team LIAR, Priority: 1a.” The white haired sniper stated. 

“I need you to kill only one of them.” The leader explained. “Luthor Temno, you need to shoot him in a specific place 3mm to the left of his heart.” 

“And any other people in the room?” The assassin asked.

“Collateral, but be careful, you’re position will be revealed after you take the shot.”

“And were will my target be?”

“The main offices of the Schnee mine in Vale.” Al Aswad turned around and handed a set of blueprints to the sniper. “In the main chamber, there should be a decent position to fire directly into the main office.” 

“Confirmed.” Kaspar stated reading over the diagram.

“Then you are dismissed.” The masked leader ordered. Kaspar rose from his position and walked to the stairs. “Oh and make sure your squad is unaware of your activities.”

“Yes, sir.” Kaspar saluted and went down to the hangs to be deployed. 

He passed through the thin metal hallways often forcing him to walk sideways as he and his rifle could not fit in the corridors with the other soldiers. He reached into his pocket and drew his scroll and plugged in his headphones. He scrolled through his music queue and pulled up a full length recording of his favorite opera, _Der Freischutz._ As the overture began playing, he began dancing through the hallways and humming along to the tune. His semblance activated causing him to move and dodge any form of obstacle in the base. 

People would often taunt him about how he can’t sing. He’d respond be singing his songs off key while killing rooms full of enemies without missing a single shot. As he reached the door to the hanger, he jammed the barrel of his gun into the activation button. He leaped into the room as spun his way into the open door of the bullhead. 

“Where to?” The pilot asked as the sniper lifted a speaker from one of his ears.

“Schnee Mine, Vale.” He ordered as the aircraft lifted off and began its long flight to Vale.

* * *

 

Location: Main Lobby, Grand Vacuan Hotel, Vacuo City, Vacuo

Date: 3/23/3024

Time: 7:30 

Captain Giallo Price had been in a lot of hotels before a mission. Most of them were over night stays from the room that his sniper would plan and execute. He had never been to a hotel for a meeting. The bellhops and receptionists gave the group of soldiers some weird looks as the mustachioed leader approached the desk. 

“I was told you would have something for me.” He asked in his deep northern Mistralian accent. The receptionist handed him a key and pointed him to the elevator clearly asking him and his unit to leave the lobby before they cause an incident. 

Price, his lieutenant, and seven other special forces soldiers from across Remnant piled into the small elevator and pressed the button for the top floor. They stood in silence for the couple of minutes interrupted by people trying and failing to fit into the cramped compartment. 

The got out into the hallway and checked that they were supposed to go to room 2548. They approached the door and unlocked it to see a group of what looked like White Fang agents in black uniforms, Ryan Reddington, a squad of young huntsmen, the headmaster of Beacon, General Ironwood, a perky red headed girl with a creepy smile, a drunk, and a pile of dead bodies lying around the living room. 

The soldiers rushed in and raised their weapons and trained them on the crowd in the room. “Oh, don’t worry. We found them like this.” Reddington sarcastically explained motion to the bodies. 

“Reddington,” Ironwood began with suspicion, “who are these people?”

“Taskforce 117, the greatest special ops group to never exist.” The broker explained getting up and shaking hands with Captain Price. “All we have left is the other three, and we can get started.”

The soldiers sat down in various chairs with some electing to sit on the floor and the coffee table. Price took the chance to go find a mirror and groom his mustache. Being locked up in a Black Fist prison does terrible things to well kept facial hair. 

Soon there was a knock on the door and the red haired girl went to open it. On the other side were three girls two tall ones supporting a crying smaller one. The drunk seemed to sober up a bit and rushed to the small girls aid. He wrapped his arms around the girl, “Uncle Qrow, they took Weiss! They took her from my arms!” The small girl in red sobbed into her uncle’s shoulder. 

“Yang, what’s wrong with Ruby’s face?” The red haired odd girl whispered to the tallest of them. 

“She’s crying Penny. She lost the one person she loved the most.” The girl named Yang explained. 

“Well miss Rose, if you are going to look for the people who took Weiss,” Reddington motioned to the bodies, “you’ve found them.”

“Oi, why’d you ask us to come here.” Price asked as the last three people entered the room and started to settle.

“As you may not have heard,” Reddington began, “both of the Schnee sisters have been taken.” 

“And our job is to get them back.” Professor Ozpin finished pulling up some maps and other details. 

“When are we going!” The girl named Ruby asked jumping up and grabbing her headmaster. 

“Tonight.” Ironwood explained. 

“My spies have told me that Gunther Schnee is planning on using his daughters to activate the worlds most deadly weapon.” Reddington explained. “They are locked in a secret chamber in their Vale mine where the virus can be activated.” 

“So what’s going to be standing in our way, this can’t be a milk run.” The Captain asked pacing around looking at the blueprints.

“Knights, Paladins, sentry guns, soldiers loyal to Schnee, and potential Faunus hostages.” Ironwood explained pointing to various sections of the map. 

“So what’s the plan?” Price’s lieutenant, Roach, asked. 

“We send in Team LIAR here to start a riot in the prison levels of the compound.” Reddington explained pointing to the massive section of the map. “In the chaos, Penny will deactivate the ventilation system allowing the 117, the Black Fang, and Team RWBY to enter the compound from the side of the dam.” 

“With the prisoners taking care of security, you’ll all meet up in the offices of the compound and fight your way into the main office where the main console is.” Ironwood continued. “What ever happens after that door is completely up to you.”

* * *

 Location: Detention Level 1, Schnee Dust Mine, Vale

Date: 3/23/3024

Time: 12:00

Weiss woke up with a jolt. She pulled on her wrists to try and rub her eyes, but found them restrained to a hard white table. She struggled some more to make sure the bonds were real and that she wasn’t dreaming and if she struggled enough that she would wake up with Ruby trying to calm her down. 

But her little red dunce wasn’t there to hold her or kiss her to make sure that she was alright. This was real. She had been captured. She tried to form a glyph to break the bonds only to find that her semblance was weakened by the various bonds when they glowed to drain her aura. 

The door at the other end of the room which was towards her head not allowing her to see her captors slid open letting in about five people by her count of footsteps. “Who are you?” She demanded as she struggle some more. There was no response, but four soldiers dressed in her fathers private army uniforms and knelt before her. 

The fifth person to enter was her father himself. At the very sight of him, she spat in his general direction and managing to hit the lapel of his finely pressed suit. “You know if you weren’t necessary, I would have had you shot for that.” He growled at his daughter. 

“What do you want?” Weiss screamed at her former father.

“One,” He began sticking up one finger which happened to be his middle finger, “to get you away from that whore you intend to marry and her sister’s pet. Two, you are necessary for the future of this world.”

“And what if I say no?” Weiss insulted.

“Too bad, while you were out, I used to to activate the purge.” Gunther explained. “It’s readying itself and will not truly activate until tonight when the world is focused on its symbol of ‘equality’”

“Well why don’t you go to the nearest pharmacy, ask for something called Viagra, and it might just help you go fuck yourself!” Weiss screamed remembering something Yang shouted at Cardin. The patriarch of the Schnee family slapped his daughter as hard as he could and marched straight out of the room with his guard following him. 

 


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Nightfire

Location: Main Entrance, Schnee Dust Mine, Vale

Date: 3/23/3024

Time: 20:00

“Ow, not so hard!” Isaac complained as Luthor pushed him in the back with his rifle while in the disguise of a Schnee soldier. 

“I’m pretty sure that’s what Robyn said last night.” Annabeth whispered to Isaac before being smacked upside the head with the butt of his gun. 

“Keep it up and I’ll make this more authentic.” Luthor growled as the approached the building. It’s great mass of grey stone and various waterfalls that led into the underground river  system that help feed the kingdom. They pushed open the door and walked down towards the center of the room. The three not in disguise walked to the Schnee logo in the center and got down on their knees. 

“Sir,” Luthor shouted in a generic voice, “I’ve caught these three with plans to attack this mine!” The commander of the levels guards approached and eyed up Luthor. He then looked down and inspected the rest of the team.

“Bring them down to the prison.” He ordered quickly. Luthor motioned for his teammates to get up and led them to the elevator in the back of the lobby. Luthor produced the key card he was given a week earlier when he had infiltrated this base as the person they were here to rescue. The elevator jolted and the descended into the secret bowels of the facility. 

When the chamber stopped at the prison level, the Grimm in disguise pushed his friends towards a guard station located near the elevator. “I have three prisoners for containment.” He explained to the on duty guard who was too busy reading an issue of X-Ray and Vav to pay attention. 

“Bring them to cell 23.” He quickly motioned away without looking at them. They all turned around and walked towards the selected cell. The gate shifted open to reveal a grey cell with one bed, a toilet, and a mirror. 

Luthor motioned for all of them to enter and slammed the door behind them. He quickly turned on his heels and crossed the fifty foot divide between the cell block and the guard towers. When ever a guard passed by he turned his head away and rubbed the back of his neck. 

When he reached the stairs leading to the main control tower, he climbed slowly up to the top so as not to raise suspicion. He reached the last step and checked if their were any security cameras pointed in the direction of the control room. When he was certain that no cameras were pointed in his direction, he pulled his .45 from the uniform and equipped a silencer to it. He slowly opened the door and entered the room which contained five guards each manning a control or radio post. 

He raised his pistol and counted each body as they dropped. He closed the door behind them and arranged the bodies so that it looked like they all shot each other. He walked over to the shining panels near the windows and placed a USB drive into the console. 

* * *

 

Location: Road Top, Schnee Dust Mine, Vale

Date: 3/23/3024

Time: 20:10

Captain Price and Lieutenant James “Roach” Brown crouched down on a nearby hilltop with their silenced rifles readying themselves for the assault. They reasoned that there were at least four in the tower that had a shot into the road. Behind them were six other 117 operatives, the creepy redhead, and Team RWBY. 

“Captain Price,” The creepy redhead named Penny began, “I have confirmation that the drive is now in.”

“Shut them down.” The captain ordered. After a few seconds with the girl’s eyes glowing she turned to them again.

“Security Systems and Short range radio offline.” She revealed in a weird chipper tone. 

“Okay,” Captain Price began pointing to his squad mates, “you six are with me, we’ll clear out any security up ahead. And you four, get ahold of one of those trucks and protect Penny at all costs, she’s our ticket in.”

The soldiers snuck down from their position and entered a crevice. Two staid behind to keep watch on the roads while the other four approached the tower. “What are we doing here?” One of the snipers asked to another. “We are soldiers! We should be out fighting the good fight!” 

“Shut up,” The other sniper growled, “do you want to get demoted to prison duty?” Price snuck up behind the sniper on the left while Roach took the guard on the right. Roach raised two fingers and then knocked his wrists together. They both rose up, kicked the knees in, and snapped both their necks. They grabbed the rifles and took out all the guards around the entrance to the tunnel. 

They soon vaulted over the barrier down onto the road top where a truck stopped suddenly. Price ripped open the door and pointed his gun inside. “Woah, hang on there!” Yang exclaimed as she got out of the truck with her hands in the air. 

“You can never be too paranoid.” Roach explained pulling Ruby out of the passenger seat and moved to the back with the rest of her squad and the other soldiers. He sat down in the soft felt seat and relaxed as Price began to drive to the designated rappel point. 

After about 50 feet into the tunnel, loudspeakers around them began to turn on and blare the same message. “ _People of Remnant,_ ” the voice they recognized as Gunther Schnee began, “ _my name is Gunther Schnee and I have one question for you._ ”

“Shit,” Price swore, “what do we do?”

“ _What is the price of ‘equality’?_ ” He infused with a sarcastic air. “ _What have you all given up to accept animals into your towns and schools? Do your children know what will come with consorting with the filth infiltrating our world?_ ”

“He’s starting the attack!” Blake shouted from the back causing Price to slam the gas pedal and rapidly accelerate the car forward. The truck slammed through a barrier waiting for them at the other end of the tunnel and the various soldiers on the other side began to open fire on the truck. The ten warriors in the back returned fire using their seats for cover. 

“ _We have given everything to what only amounts to household pets just because they learned how to speak and suddenly decided they are the same as us humans! And how do they thank us? By killing our own!_ ”

Before the enemy rounds could penetrate the benches and walls, five bullheads and ten attack craft descended onto the road and began clearing out groups of guards. The bullheads released a payload of two hundred White and Black Fang soldiers who opened fire on the Schnee guards. The various soldiers and huntresses in the truck got out of the car and rushed to their rappel point. 

“ _I ask you now, my fellow humans, rise up! Take back what was once ours! Together, we can reclaim Remnant from the filth it has been conquered by!”_

Penny drew one of her swords and dug it into the concrete, Roach and Price dug one for the whole of the 117, and Team RWBY used a similar set they were taught how to use on the ride to the mine. As they leaped from the ledge and jumped back down onto the wall of the dam, they observed the pitched battle going on between the united Fang and the Schnee guards down below near the lobby. They continued to jump down for about seven hundred meters until they reached a large ventilation grate which Penny cut open allowing them to leap directly into. As they all finished entering the wall, Price and Ruby took point in the two lines they had to form to fit in the small space. On the way they checked their weapons for any blockage and jamming. 

After about five hundred yards, the approached a large grate in the floor leading into what looked like a prison camp. They sat and waited for the riot to began which would be their cue to enter and join in with Team LIAR. 

* * *

 

Location: Prison Camp, Schnee Dust Mine, Vale

Date: 3/23/3024

Time: 20:12

Luthor shuddered when he heard the screens turn on revealing an image of the Patriarch of the Schnee family as he gave his hate filled speech. He lurched at the computers pressing the buttons that opened up the armory and then the cell doors. He dropped his disguise and returned back to his street clothes as the alarms started to blare. 

Faunus prisoners began rushing out of their cells and towards guards and the armory. Luthor looked on as he grabbed two C96’s from his coat and kicked out the door. The two guards who had gathered out side swiftly turned around only to be met with three round bursts to the face. He then threw himself into the wall across the hall and shot another guard rushing up to check what all the noise was. He quickly walked down the stairs, switching to semi-automatic, and swung the gun in his right hand across his body to shoot another soldier. 

He reached the ground floor where the door was guarded by a single soldier cowering in fear. Luthor replaced his automatics with his M1887. He slowly raised the shotgun to aim at the mans chest and pulled the trigger. The force of the point blank blast blew him through the door into the full on riot going on in the main chamber. 

He heard his teammates in the armory passing out weapons over the commotion. He pushed his way through the crowd sometimes taking time to use his Desert Eagle to kill various Schnee soldiers. He approached his allies to see Robyn handing out G3’s with one hand and taking out various attackers with a custom TT-33 with the other, Isaac was engaged in a tense fight with a Schnee Gun kata user, and Annabeth was taking out various drones and sentries. 

“You’re late.” Robyn berated him as her boyfriend grabbed the nearest Schnee guard and used him as a human shield to take out three more soldiers that were firing into the armory. 

Luthor pulled the pin on the soldier’s grenades and kicked him back out into the crowd. “Traffic was hell.” 

They looked up as they heard a vent grate was kicked out to let in the 117 and the four huntresses brought along for the assault. They all rushed over to meet up with the rest of their compatriots. “Salutations, Team LIAR!” Penny exclaimed throwing them a salute. “I hope my performance was satisfactory?”

“There is something wrong with that girl, isn’t there.” Annabeth asked Isaac.

“She’s a robot.” Isaac answered as they pushed their way to an elevator on the far side of the commotion. As the lift lowered to meet them, Ruby turned to the rest of the squad. “Where’s Weiss?” She begged. 

“My records indicate that Weiss and Winter are being kept in special cells on the floor below the offices.” Penny explained. “The 49th floor to be exact.” 

“Roger.” Price shouted as they all piled into the cramped compartment and Isaac pressing the button for the 49th floor. They chamber shifted slightly as it began to rise passing by floors of White Fang soldiers executing Schnee soldiers and burning offices. 

After about three minutes of waiting, the elevator stopped at a long grey hallway with various cells on each side. Isaac took point as they all walked single file down the hall. After about 15 meters into the corridor, Isaac silently ordered them to stop. “Weiss is to the left and Winter is to the right.” He explained. Two 117 agents placed breaching charges on each of the cell doors and four soldiers lined up for the breach.

The first soldier on the left side of each breach counted down form five before pressing the trigger for the small explosive. The door and its frame blasted apart catching all of the guards inside to caught off guard. The spec ops unit quickly rushed in and killed every soldier inside. After the all clear had been given, Ruby rushed into Weiss’ cell and leapt up onto the table and straddled the heiress. 

“Ruby?” Weiss weakly asked before having her tongue nearly sucked out of her skull by a powerful kiss from the girl on top of her. Someone had flicked the switch that controlled Weiss’ restraints allowing her to return the embrace. 

“If you two are done with your game of tonsil hockey, we’ve got a genocide to stop!” Yang shouted pulling her sister from her lovers embrace. Annabeth appeared in the door way carrying two swords, one in each hand. 

“So which one of you owns these pathetic things?” She asked without a care of who she was addressing.

“This one is mine, you plebeian!” Weiss insulted as she pulled her rapier from Annabeth grip and went for a cloth to clean the hilt off. A taller woman with an Atlas military uniform, who must have been Winter, appeared in the door way and pulled the other sword from the sniper. “Thank you.” Winter calmly spoke to the mercenary. 

Rather than wait for an elevator to just take them up one floor, they found a stairwell which they used to climb up until the floor in which their final destination awaited. 

* * *

 

Location: Main Office, Schnee Dust Mine, Vale

Date: 3/23/3024

Time: 20:20

“Sir, we have an outbreak on the prison level!” Captain Magenta of the Schnee guards shouted as she burst into the room. Gunther sat at his desk watching the rather ridiculous kill counter hung on the wall recording how many Faunus had been slaughtered by the machines of war. In the space of twenty minutes, the Virus had already claimed 300,000 lives and the number was rising steadily.

“Send the guard down to crush them!” The mad businessman ordered. 

“But sir, their are none left!” Magenta explained bringing up video of the 117 and the Fang destroying every soldier in their path. 

“Do not underestimate the will to survive, Gunther.” Gerard called from the other side of the room. 

“What do you mean?” Gunther interrogated while pulling out a revolver and pointed it at the butler. 

“What you were planning on doing was not a secret.” Gerard explained getting up from his seat and walking towards the door. 

“No.” Gunther’s finger tightened on the trigger.

“A butler knows all.” He taunted as he stepped out of the way. Before the patriarch could pull the trigger, the door burst open and a series of TASER shots and beanbag rounds launched into the room knocking out everyone in the room and knocking the gun out of his hand.

The two huntsmen teams, Penny, and the soldiers rushed in and began to restrain the guards. The CEO tried to make a leap for his gun only for it to be kicked away by his own daughter. “Get up!” She ordered as she pointed her sword at him. He quickly rose to his feet with his hands behind his head. 

“How do you shut it off?” Robyn asked with the TT-33 pointed at the back of his head. 

“Why should I tell you?” He growled causing Robyn to shoot him in the knee. He cried out in pain causing Robyn to ask again. 

“How do you turn it off, or do I need to destroy the other one?” 

“You need to destroy the server room!” He screamed just to prevent getting shot again. Price pressed the radio in his ear. 

“Did you hear that?” He asked the Black Fang agent on the other side.

“Solid copy, Price.” The agent on the other side explained. After about five minutes of silence and the medic on the squad patching up Gunther’s knee to make sure he wouldn’t die before they got him to prison, a massive explosion rocked the entire mine. 

* * *

 

Location: Beacon Academy, Vale

Date: 3/23/3024

Time: 20:14

Team CFVY had been called back to their alma mater of Beacon when they heard of the Knight’s glitch. Coco jumped out of the bullhead gatling gun already spinning, mowing down the drones. Fox was by her side slicing each of the smaller mechs apart with the blades attached to his wrists. She had ordered Yatsuhashi and Velvet to go into the school itself to take care of any that had broken through the defense line and rescue any students trapped inside. 

She used her machine gun to rip a auto driven Paladin apart before it could get to a group of students who were trying to call their lockers to retrieve their weapons. As the mech slowed down to the point where it could barely reach out with one of its hands, she heard the familiar slamming of lockers into concrete as they reached their students. 

She looked back at some of the students she met during her last two years at Beacon and some of the newer kids who were just hoping for a peaceful four years. “Get your weapons and come with me, we have some students to save!” She ran off while some of the other students grabbed their weapons. 

“No fair, we can’t have multiple people with mini-guns!” A girl in a pink hoodie and suspenders hefted up a massive war hammer which she then turned into a multi barreled machine gun. 

“Shut up, Rook!” A girl in a partial suit holding a M1928 Thompson berated her teammate. She then turned and buried the gun now in buzz saw form into the skull of a robot that was coming after her. 

“No time for infighting. We’ve got to get moving!” A senior in a modified Black Fist uniform holding a staff with blades coming out of each end. The amassed student rebellion moved out with staff boy and Tommy girl taking point shooting down each and every robot that got within fifty feet of them. 

They pushed into the cafeteria where some students had amassed for protection with the teachers. They each took up position at each of the windows where the robots couldn’t detect them and just the killing machines charged up their rifles. The former military soldier ordered them to open fire into the room instantly annihilating any mechanical being inside the room. 

They all vaulted into the room and ran towards their class mates. “Move any and all injured to the bullheads waiting outside.” Coco shouted to the students as they all rushed out through the doors. 

They followed them out to where the other students running from their dorms out onto the launch pad to the awaiting airships. The teachers and various professional huntsmen held the line for as long as they could so that the students could board. 

After ten minutes mowing down all the machines that seemed to appear from almost no where, they stopped as they heard a very large explosion from a distance. They turned back and saw that all of the soldier robots had froze in place and dropped to the ground.

“What the hell is happening?” The man in the Black Fist uniform asked.

“They’re shutting down, you idiot!” A nearby Dog Faunus yelled at him. The various huntsmen walked forward slowly as they analyzed the scene. The light coming from the visor of the head started slowly dimming as they all dropped to their knees and then falling on their face. 

* * *

 

Location: Main Office, Schnee Dust Mine, Vale

Date: 3/23/3024

Time: 20:30

Price and Roach each took turns carry the now unconscious Gunther Schnee out of the office and into that floors elevator. From the sounds that were coming through the wall facing the outside, the police and military had shown up to investigate the explosions. 

“So what are we going to do now?” Isaac asked as they paced around the now empty office except for them and Penny. Gerard had led Team RWBY out of the building and drove them to Ruby’s dad’s house. 

“I don’t know.” Robyn said leaning on the desk. “I mean I don’t know what Reddington has planned now.”

“One thing I know is that Coryn recommended a Shawarma place down the road.” Luthor explained going over to Penny. “I’m getting quite hungry.” 

“You guys head on ahead.” Penny explained. “I have something to do.” 

“No,” Luthor said grabbing her hand, “I insist.”

They’re interaction was cut short by a single gunshot. Before they knew it, Penny’s head had exploded and Luthor was on the ground. Robyn rushed up and raised Luthor’s head onto her lap. The bullet had hit the 12.7mm still in his chest causing it to go through. From the hole in his vest and shirt, a black smoke began to rise out of his chest. 

“No no no no no!” Robyn began pumping Aura into the wound to try and slow down the disintegration similar to the death of a Grimm. 

Isaac pulled out his scroll and began dialing an ambulance. Robyn considered stopping him to prevent Luthor’s secret from going public, but he was dying and needed an actual doctor to treat him. Within the minute, paramedics from the Emergency crew below rushed into the room and gathered around Luthor to treat him. 

The first doctor torn open his vest, removed his tie, and cut open his shirt to reveal the plates underneath. She quickly threw her hand over her month to prevent a scream. Robyn then grabbed her and pointed her pistol at the medic.

“If he dies, you die, got it?” She growled as she pushed the medic onto the dying Grimm. The young medic, probably just out of medical school began crying as she began to cut away at the armor to make room for the future surgeons to complete the operation. 

 


	15. Epilogue

Epilogue: Quantum of Solace

_In light of the recent attack by Atlas military drones on Faunus and civilians across the globe last night which claimed 327,123 lives, Gunther Schnee has been taken into custody of the planning and execution of the tragedy. With him out of the way, his wife, Sabrina Schnee has taken control of the company and has began atoning for past crimes committed by her husband and his board of directors. Her youngest daughter, Weiss has stated that she is going to complete her huntsmen training at Beacon before taking control of the company for at least some time._

_In other news, are Grimm among us? Various reports out of Vale General Hospital state that a recent emergency patient seems to have bone plating growing out of his extremities and Grimm-like eyes was sent in with a double gunshot wound to the chest. Facial recognition has shown that the patient’s name is a registered huntsman named Luthor Temno, real name Luthor Hellsing, one of the heirs of the Kingdom of Vacuo. Lady Isabella of Vacuo has yet to be reached for a comment. Could this be the beginning of something more, or has there always been one of them among us?_

_The PMC known has the Voron Initiative has been making attacks on guerrilla agents hiding in the Boneyard, 300 Km south of Vacuo. The Vacuan council has stated that they condone the actions of the corporation and believe that defending the kingdom from invaders should be left to the Kingdom and its huntsmen. This marks the fifth unauthorized assault on a kingdoms territory by the PMC which has caused an uproar from the Vytal Union to stop the reckless endangerment of public safety._

_With all the kingdoms united by the attack, an international treaty has been signed making it a capitol offense in all kingdoms for discrimination on basis of race. This landmark deal has been signed by major leaders in both the White Fang and Menagerie. The signing of this historic treaty was met with celebrations in the street with many humans and Faunus taking to bars, clubs, and various parties across all four kingdoms._

* * *

 

Location: Voron Safe House, Outside of Mistral

Date: 4/1/3024

Time: 11:00

Kaspar pulled his car through the automatic gate to the safe house he was told to go to. Al Aswad was angry at him for failing to kill Luthor Temno and now wants him in hiding just in case anyone seeking vengeance would never find him. 

He pressed the brake pedal as he reached the center of the beige gravel drive way in front of what appeared to be a decent sized mansion with an overlook to the sea. He turned the key off and placed it into his pocket as he undid the seatbelt and opened the door. 

He walked towards the railing of that divided the property from the bay and took a deep breath of fresh air. Soon he felt the familiar buzz of his scroll in his pocket. He picked up the device and saw that the number was redacted. Thinking that it was one of his handlers, he answered the call.

“Mr. Opal.” A feminine voice began from the other end.

“Who is this?” He asked into the phone turning towards the house.

“April Fools.” The voice whispered. He quickly looked at his phone to check if anything was wrong. Nothing appeared to be different until a silenced gunshot popped out of nowhere and struck him in the knee. 

He collapsed on the ground and began to try and pull himself to the entrance of the building where his guards could take care of him. He slowly dragged himself along the gravel making his new wound burn with pain. He screamed to no avail and managed to make it to the first step. 

He turned his head when he heard footsteps coming towards him. Walking up next to him was a girl in red and white carrying a silenced UMP-45 SMG in one hand and a scroll in the other. She clicked the drop call button on the device before returning it to her vest. “The name’s Hochrote. Robyn Hochrote. We need to talk.”

 

 

**Team LIAR will return in:**

_**LIARs: Death to Spies** _


End file.
